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| I don't want any poisonous stuff ending up in my garden! |
We may not realize how much weed killer, bug spray, and pest control is being used in or near public spaces. We think parks, walking and hiking paths, and other public spaces that spray pesticides or place pest traps close to where we walk our dogs are safe.
The truth is, substances that are toxic to dogs and cats can end up in places pets can easily get to. Dogs can stick their noses deep into grasses or flower beds where insecticides have just been sprayed. They could ingest grasses or plants that have been sprayed as well.
Pest baits and traps can also be hazardous to pets. Even if they're placed where pets are not allowed, they can be inadvertently moved to locations in a variety of ways, even by other animals! Birds can pick them up if they're lightweight and end up dropping them in another location, like your back yard!
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| I was shocked to find that the ant bait I had staked into the ground behind a shrub ended up in our driveway! |
Imagine my surprise when I found that one of the ant baits, which I staked into the ground behind a shrub, ended up on our driveway! The bait had little teeth marks around it, indicating that a squirrel or other small animal had gotten hold of it. Fortunately, it was left on the driveway where I could see it. A squirrel or other small animal could have easily taken it and moved it into the yard where we wouldn't see it, but our dogs would have gotten hold of it!
A friend of ours once threw some rodent bait into their attic because they thought mice or rats were in there. The bait was in the form of cubes. The directions said to just toss the bait cubes around in the attic and the offending rodents would eat them and die. Here's the problem; any rodent that got into the attic could have easily carried off the bait and deposited it in a backyard or anywhere else in the neighborhood. After I heard that, I resolved never to use that type of pest control product in our home or yard. It's too risky!
Pest traps and baits can also be inadvertently moved by re-positioning or accidentally kicking a garden hose, a bird picking up and dropping it in your yard, or even being picked up and moved by a curious child.
If you place this type of trap or bait around your property, check on the traps frequently and check your yard to ensure traps or bait haven't ended up where pets or small children can get to it! Or better yet, search for natural insecticides and pesticides rather than the chemical laden kind.
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| Pets can get into toxic materials in public places and even in our own yard. Be aware of your pet's surroundings at all times |
Even if you don't use these toxic substances around your home, they could possibly end up on your property or in a nearby park. Your pet could then be at risk for coming in contact with it.
Keep your eyes open, check your yard often to ensure nothing hazardous has landed there. Be alert at parks, dog parks, hiking trails, and at the beach for potentially poisonous items.
According to PetMD, symptoms of toxic poisoning in dogs include:
🕱 Fever
🕱 Vomiting
🕱 Diarrhea
🕱 Depression
🕱 Chronic Anorexia
🕱 Seizures
🕱 Muscle Tremors
🕱 Hypersalivation
🕱 Constricted pupils
🕱 Increased heart rate
🕱 Lack of coordination
🕱 They have trouble breathing
If you want to know what the most common pet toxin is in YOUR state, you'll find it on the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Conter's article on the Top Toxicity Calls Per State
If your pet has ingested any poisons, immediately call your Vet or the Pet Poison Hotline at 800-213-6680 OR call the ASPCA Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435.
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Has your pet ever encountered a poisonous substance in your yard or on a walk? Tell us about it in the Comments. We love hearing from you!
27 comments:
Excellent post with so many fine points that peeps might forget. Mom once had a terrible experience with one of her little cockapoos. They had just moved into a new house and did not know that the previous owner had hidden deep under a cabinet in the garage a d-con trap. Little Shamrock found it. She started to hemorrhage all through her little body and looked black and blue everywhere. The vet was amazing. He treated her with lots of meds and Vitamin K. He told Mom to be prepared - the pup might not make it. It took about 15 months for Shamrock to regain her strength fully, but she did survive, one lucky pup who beat the stupidity of peeps.
Thanks for the great post.
Woos - Lightning and Misty
This sure is important stuff to share
Lily & Edward
We don't use any chemicals in the backyard but stay alert for what our neighbors might be putting out. Great food for thought.
GASP!! Oh my God, that is so horrific! I'm so relieved she survived. Thank you for sharing your near tragic story, I think it will help a lot of people. You just don't know what your pet can potentially get into.
It certainly is important info!
Good for you, it's really important to be alert at all times. Dogs are like kids, you never know what they'll get in to and they are FAST!
I also think these kinds of pesticides are responsible for the decline in our honey bee populations, which can have devastating effects on crops and gardens! We avoid all chemicals that we can - the only thing I allow are some ant baits, and they are only in the basement where no pets or wildlife ever go.
Jan, Wag 'n Woof Pets
I think so too!! We can't go dousing our land with pesticides and not realize the adverse effects it can have on all the other living things around it. I'm glad you keep your ant baits away from the pets & wildlife.
Such important information. When we moved to our house we removed plants toxic to dogs, stopped the use of pesticides, and removed all pest baits and poison. If our dogs were to catch a chipmunk that had eaten poison they could become seriously ill.
I never thought about our dogs getting an animal that may have ingested poisonous material! I'm always so concerned and try to be as careful as I can when selecting products and plants that I have in my garden.
Thank you for these tips! We always lookout for foxtails during our hikes and never get indoor plants that can be poisonous for our little one!
Thanks Heather, I think it's important too. You never know what your pet could potentially get into. I'm so glad you too such great precautions in your yard.
I know right!? It's not something you think of but it's a real concern. Animals can ingest toxins and also move them around.
Thanks, I'm glad you found these tips helpful! It's amazing that foxtails can be so dangerous to dogs, isn't it!
Fabulous post. It is so very important that we are constantly aware of what are pets are exposed to. Keep it safe year-round!
Thank you for sharing! It's crazy how much our pups can get into - we have to be ready!! So many toxic things around us. -Shelby
We need to be on the alerts ALL the time for things that put our cats and dogs at risk. I had no idea some sweeteners can kill dogs (OH MY!!)
This ant bait shows that we need to be aware of squirrel saboteurs too!
It's really scary to think about all the chemicals and toxins that people use that our pets may be exposed to. It's so important to really think about what you use in your own home and to keep a close eye on your dog when you're in public places. Thanks for this!
This is a nightmare for me. I am so paranoid about what my neighbors may be putting out in their yards and gardens! I won't even plant any flowers because I am too worried about them being toxic! Thank you for this informative help!
It's really scary, isn't it? Our pets, kids, and ourselves are are at risk. And to think these same chemicals are put into topical and oral flea and tick control substances. There are so many safe, effective and non-toxic alternatives.
This is a really great post! I don't have a back yard, so these things aren't in the forefront of my mind. These are definitely good points.
Fantastic post and always good to remind of the dangers lurking in the gardens. Thank you for reminding me
Great post. I never thought about bird or other wild animals moving bait traps. I wouldn't let the pesticide guy spray inside my house when I had a recent invasion of millipedes.
We don't treat our grass (or what passes for our lawn) with any chemicals. There are so many things to be aware of whenever the season changes!
We had a terrible incident with one of our dogs in Chile who somehow got hold of rat poison the owner of our rental house put out. She spent the afternoon vomiting at the vet and ws fine thank goodness but I felt horrible, Then this week the city put some pesticide on all the sidewalk lawns Kilo pees on on our street. I was very nervous and dragged him onto another block. Plants can be a worry too. I had no idea.
Thank you!!! Esepcially for posting the symptoms and the pet poison line. Since we pets can't talk, you humans have to be extra observant of us! ~ Dear Mishu
It's pretty scary how "things travel". We found some nasty things in our yard too every now and then.
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