Spring gardening; Keeping you pets safe
Michelle March 27th, 2008
The first green shoots have announced that Spring has sprung and its that time of year when the garden needs replanting, the moss laden lawn needs revitializing..etc..etc.
I happen to have four dogs around my house that are still in the puppy stage, so I want to make sure that they are safe should I bring home any new plants or even old established ones for that matter. Many people, myself included are not aware of the many toxic plants that are out there. A harmless looking plant may not be that harmless after all.
I have compiled a few tips that will help keep you a happy gardener and your pets..well a happy and healthy pet.
Dogs and Cats can’t tell the difference between pesticide or fertilzers, so use only non-toxic products that aren’t harmful to animals. A common ingredient among pet-safe fertilizers is manure. Cow, bat, and sea bird manure are popular ingredients. Fish, kelp and worm castings are also frequently used in pet-safe fertilizers.
When shopping for pet-safe weed killers you may choose to look for products that are veterinarian or EPA certified. It is important to read the ingredients. Avoid commercial products that contain inert ingredients.
Beware of using snail bait–the kind with metaldehyde as the active ingredient. Many formulations look like dog pellets, which are a sure magnet for dogs, but metaldehyde can cause vomiting or labored breathing in your pet.
The taste and scent of any flower can be deceiving to a dog and cat when the flower tastes good. Naturally, the pet will continue to eat the flower despite the poisonous content. There is a high toxicity in the Easter lily, morning glories, buttercups, oleander, tulips, lily of the valley, and Christmas roses, Mistletoe, marigold, creeping Charlie, Ivy (all varieties), red lily, azaleas are just a few of the toxic plants. Morning glories have a high toxicity level which causes hallucinations, possible seizures, stomach upset that can lead to death.
In the event that your dog or cat had ingested any of these contact your local poison control center. It is best to keep a list of toxic plants and the phone number of the poison control center nearby.
These tips are not to raise a panic, its just a reminder that pet owners need to be aware and watch their pets carefully. A little bit of attention will go a long way in helping keep the furry ones out of harms way.