Skip to main content

Is Your Garden Pet Safe?

Written by Colleen Sedgwick. Posted in Health and Safety.

SONY DSC

Many pet owners don’t think about the effects that lawn and garden products have on dogs, cats, and other animals. But, according to Zootoo.com,

Researchers at the National Cancer Institute have connected chemical lawn treatments to a rise in deadly cancer among household pets. Specifically, in a 1991 study, researchers reported that dogs were two times more likely to develop lymphoma if their owners sprayed or sprinkled the 2,4-D herbicide (weed killer) on the lawn four or more times a year.

Weed killers aren’t the only out-door hazards for pets. Here’s a list of other pet dangers to watch for this summer.

Fertilizer
As the ASPCA reports, “Just like you, plants need food. But pet parents, take care—the fertilizer that keeps our plants healthy and green can wreak havoc on the digestive tracts of our furry friends.”

Citronella candles
PetPlace.com warns that although citronella candles are a popular way to deter mosquitoes, they may also “cause gastrointestinal inflammation in dogs, resulting in vomiting and diarrhea.”

Cocoa Mulch
This is another caution from the ASPCA. Because of its attractive odor and color, many gardeners use cocoa bean shells in landscaping. Unfortunately, it can cause serious problems for dogs.

Baits
According to Cat Lovers Digest, rodent, snail and slug baits are extremely harmful to pets. “They are highly toxic and, without immediate veterinary attention, can be fatal. Rodent baits typically can result in blood clotting disorders, brain swelling or kidney failure, depending on which type is used, while snail and slug baits can result in severe tremoring or seizing.”

Blood Meal and Bone Meal
Used as a fertilizer, “blood meal is flashfrozen animal blood that has been dried and ground,” says Cat Lovers Digest. Many pets find this product very tasty and may even seek it out. If a large amount is ingested, it can cause vomiting, diarrhea and severe inflammation of the pancreas.

Cat Lovers Digest also warns of bone meal – an organic fertilizer made from animal bones that have been ground to a powder. It’s very palatable to dogs, but, “bone meal can form a large, concrete-like obstruction in the stomach that could require surgical removal.”

Toxic Plants
Finally, according to Cat Lovers Digest, some plants that are reported to be toxic to dogs, cats and rabbits include:


  • Azalea
  • Bittersweet

  • Caladium

  • Clematis

  • Crocus

  • Day Lily

  • Death Camas

  • Easter Lily

  • Ferns

  • Foxglove

  • Hyacinth

  • Iris

  • Lily of the Valley

  • Morning Glory

  • Oleander

  • Rhododendron

  • Tiger Lily

  • Tulips

Do you know of other out-door pet dangers not listed here? Leave us a comment and let us know!