Check your pesticides before letting dogs roam free

With the warm weather we’ve been having, it’s hard to believe it’s only the middle of April.

Tulips and lilacs are blooming. Everywhere in my neighborhood people are working on their yards — raking, weeding, cutting the grass and fertilizing. One of my neighbors even had a load of mulch delivered and spread in the flower beds.

Spring brings out gardeners and more people with their dogs. Dana Farbman, pet poison prevention expert for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and the Animal Poison Control Center, 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.

As you plan your flower beds and planting and gardening projects, take a look at www.aspca.org and review their extensive list of plants that are toxic to dogs, cats and horses. The list includes descriptions, as well as pictures, of toxic and nontoxic garden plants.

The APCC recommends we watch out for the following potential hazards in our gardens and yards:

Ÿ Poisonous Plants: The outdoor plants that are potentially dangerous for our pets include sago palm, 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.

Ÿ Fertilizer: Ingesting large amounts of fertilizer can give pets a stomachache 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.

Ÿ 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 hear rate, hyperactivity and even seizures.” They suggest using a less-toxic alternative such as shredded pine or cedar.

Ÿ 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 of rat poison.

Always store pesticides in inaccessible areas and read the manufacturer’s label carefully for proper usage and storage.

Jen Reeder, www.healthypet.com, notes that Melinda Myers, gardening expert, provides alternatives to pesticides, including corn gluten meal which prevents weed seeds from germinating and insecticidal soap.

Ÿ 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.

Ÿ 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.

Ÿ 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 on my refrigerator.

After you’ve fixed up your lawn and cleaned out your flower beds, go for a walk with your dog. Springtime and your dog beside you. Enjoy them both.

Adoptables:

Ÿ Phillip is a male Chihuahua who weighs about 4 pounds. This 10-year-old is in foster care, so call ahead before planning to visit.

Ÿ Rocky, a 47-pound, male Labrador retriever mix, is about one year old.

Ÿ Contact The Buddy Foundation at (847) 290-5806; visit us at 65 W. Seegers Road, Arlington Heights; or online at thebuddyfoundation.org.