Pet-proofing the yard

Puppies explore the world with their mouths. — Tambako the Jaguar/Creative Commons

Responsible parents take pains to “childproof” their homes, but pet owners also need to be conscious of hazards common home and garden products pose to the family pooch or kitty.

The ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center in Illinois reports that its highest volume of cases involve pets exposed to pesticides, herbicides and rodent baits. Popular garden plants can also be toxic to little Fido or Fifi, and it pays to know which are potentially deadly.

Anyone who has ever raised a puppy or kitten knows that these little guys explore the world with their mouths. As with kids, you’ll go a long way toward peace of mind if you store toxic weed and pest killers, fertilizers and solvents in a safe, inaccessible spot.

That may mean collecting potential poisons in a tightly closed cabinet, or storing them on a high shelf of a garden shed or garage to which your pet is denied entry.

The most dangerous forms of pesticide include rat, mouse and mole poisons, which often contain a blood anticoagulant that promotes internal bleeding. Snail baits containing metaldehyde, fly baits with methomyl and systemic insecticides with disyston or disulfotan are also extremely dangerous, and often have a taste attractive to mammals.

Surprisingly, perhaps, many pets are poisoned through the misuse of flea and tick products. Many of these topical preparations are safe and effective; as a long-time pet owner, I consider monthly flea and tick repellents like Topspot and Frontline as the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Be sure to read labels carefully and follow directions to the letter — it may save your pet’s life. There are some 18 brands of flea and tick products that contain permethrin, a synthetic insecticide safe for dogs. Just a few drops of these could be lethal to your cat, however, and human error is the usual cause of accidental poisonings.

Many of these products should not be used on very young, pregnant or elderly animals. It’s important to consult your veterinarian before you buy these preparations or order them online.

Ingestion of fertilizers mainly causes harm when heavy metals like iron are included in the formula. Eating large amounts of plant food can cause gastrointestinal upset, and even obstructions in your furry friends.

No, I did not eat that plant - this time. — peterned/Creative Commons

Many people hire companies to treat the lawn without inquiring closely about the products that will be used. Ask for the commercial and generic name of any chemical applied to your grass, and find out how long children and pets should stay off the lawn following applications.

In general, weed killers are said to be safe for animal traffic once they dry. But considering how frequently cats groom themselves and how often dogs lick their paws, you may want to be more cautious. A good lawn company should discuss with you how quickly herbicides and pesticides break down into harmless substances through the action of sun, rain and the passage of time. If they don’t know or can’t say, fire them.

For your own health, consider limiting lawn fertilizing to two or three applications a year and avoiding any wholesale or preemptive herbicide and pesticide treatments. If you can’t spot treat problems or fix them by altering your cultural practices, consider just living with them — a less-than-perfect lawn is still serviceable, and often a thing of beauty.

You can offer pets an extra measure of protection if you build them a pen or run that is not dosed with any lawn chemicals at all. If it’s in an out-of-the-way location, lawn freaks won’t even notice that the grass in the pen is not up to snuff. Don’t forget that dogs (and cats) occasionally enjoy eating grass — why is a subject of debate — and you don’t want them ingesting poisons at the same time.

Ornamental plants can be poisonous, too. Lily-of-the-valley, foxglove, rhododendrons and azaleas can affect the heart; rhubarb and oxalis species can cause kidney failure, and true lilies (growing from bulbs) are especially dangerous to cats. Toxic mushrooms can cause liver failure, while both autumn crocus (Colchicum) and castor bean plant have multiple effects that can prove fatal.

Adult dogs and cats are less likely to get into trouble providing you are prudent. Many dogs (who are omnivores, not strict carnivores) enjoy not only grass, but fruits and veggies fresh from the garden — without chemical seasoning, please. I believe that some “dumb” animals are more discriminating than we may think.

I once caught my sheltie Callie crawling on her belly through the grass, nose quivering, totally absorbed in the hunt. Every few minutes she would pounce with great delight on some little goodie and scarf it down. Panicked, I rushed over, and all I could see at first were these malevolent little mushrooms sprung up after the last rain.

Just when I thought we were both in trouble, I spotted what the little goofball was really after — sweet, ripe berries that had dropped from my huge old mulberry tree. She was hunting them down, one by one, with lip-licking relish. O - kay then. The foxes enjoy them, too.

If you suspect your pet has been poisoned, call your vet or veterinary emergency service immediately. Prompt medical attention is often crucial so don’t delay.