Keep your pets safe while fertilizing your yard
April showers bring May flowers — and aerating, seeding, fertilizing, planting, mulch, cow manure and mushroom compost, and those little signs warning of just fertilized lawns.
As my dog, Kasey, and I walk around the neighborhood, we see people out working on their lawns and getting their flower beds ready for planting.
The warmer weather brings out gardeners, as well as more people with their dogs. Dana Farbman, Animal Poison Control Center pet poison prevention expert, notes, “Keeping animals safe from accidental poisonings should not end once you’ve stepped outside. Protecting your pet from potential hazards in your yard is just as critical.”
The APCC reports fielding tens of thousands of calls each year involving animal companions who have had potentially hazardous contact with insecticides, pet-toxic plants and weedkillers.
The APCC recommends we watch out for the following potential hazards in our gardens and yards:
Poisonous Plants: There are many plants that are toxic to dogs and cats. These include outdoor plants such as sago palm and rhododendron and azalea. Sago palm and other members of the Cycad family, as well as mushrooms, can cause liver failure.
Rhododendron, azalea, lily of the valley, oleander, rosebay, foxglove and kalanchoe all affect the heart.
The APCC has an extensive list, as well as pictures, of toxic and nontoxic garden plants. You can search the list by viewing only plants toxic to dogs, cats or horses, or only plants nontoxic to dogs, cats or horses.
Fertilizer: Ingesting large amounts of fertilizer can give pets a good case of stomach ache and may result in life-threatening gastrointestinal obstruction. The APCC recommends following instructions carefully and observing the appropriate waiting period before letting your animal run outside.
Cocoa Mulch: Cocoa bean shells, a by-product of chocolate production, attracts dogs with its sweet smell, and like chocolate can cause problems for them.
The APCC notes, “Depending on the amount involved, ingestion of cocoa mulch can cause a range of clinical signs, from vomiting, diarrhea and muscle tremors, to elevated heart rate, hyperactivity and even seizures.”
They suggest using a less-toxic alternative such as shredded pine, cedar or hemlock bark.
Insecticides: Included in the APCC list as the most dangerous forms of pesticides are: snail bait with metaldehyde, fly bait with methomyl, systemic insecticides with the ingredients disyston or disulfoton, mole or gopher bait with zinc phosphide and most forms or rat poison.
Always store pesticides in inaccessible areas and read the manufacturer’s label carefully for proper usage and storage.
Compost: Depending on what is going into the compost pile or bin, the garden waste or food may cause a problem for our pets. Coffee, moldy foods and certain types of fruits and vegetables are toxic to dogs and cats.
Fleas and Ticks: Keeping lawns mowed reduces fleas and ticks, which can cause excessive scratching, hair loss, scabs, hot spots and tapeworms, as well as anemia from blood loss. Ticks may lead to tick borne diseases such as Lyme disease.
Allergies: Some pets may have allergies to plants. The APCC cautions, “If you suspect your pet has an allergy, please don’t give him any medication that isn’t prescribed by a veterinarian.”
They also recommend keeping your pet out of other people’s yards and off their lawns.
The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888) 426-4435 — a consultation fee may apply — is an excellent resource if you think your pet has come in contact with or ingested something possibly hazardous. I keep the number handy.
When you’re done with your springtime lawn care and cleaning out the flower beds, take some time to relax by walking your dog. Warmer weather, your dog beside you, what could be better?
Blessing of the AnimalsIf you#146;re looking for something very special to do with your pet, please join us at The Buddy Foundation for Blessing of the Animals from 1-1:30 p.m. Saturday, May 14. The Rev. Bob Heinz from St. Norberts Parish, Northbrook, will once again officiate at the ceremony. We will be gathering in front of the Shelter, so make sure your animals are properly tethered. We will be serving refreshments for both our two- and four-legged guests.AdoptablesMelvin is a male beagle. He#146;s about 6 months old and weighs about 24 pounds.Aime is a female greyhound mix. She#146;s about 2 years old and weighs about 47 pounds. Kenya is a female hound dog. She#146;s about 9 months old and weighs about 40 pounds.Baron is a male Labrador retriever mix. His age is unknown, but he weighs about 55 pounds.Ÿ Contact The Buddy Foundation at (847) 290-5806; visit us at 65 W. Seegers Road, Arlington Heights, or online at thebuddyfoundation.org. 12531130Baron 12001200Amie 12001200Kenya