Fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides are everywhere these days and unfortunately they are toxic to animals. Even walking your pet around the neighborhood puts them at risk of tracking chemicals back to the house where they lick their cute little feet. I recommend Pesticide Free Parks for your family outings especially this time of the year!
Seattle Parks and Recreation has been maintaining 14 parks without the use of any pesticides since 2001. The program is expanding to include eight more parks and about 25 more acres, for a total of 22 parks and about 50 acres.
Pesticide-free Parks are distributed geographically throughout the city and provide citizens an opportunity to use these facilities with the knowledge that no pesticides are used.
Click Here for a List of Petsicide FREE Parks
Pesticide FREE Parks
Back Yard Hazards
Warm weather means fun times in the garden for humans and our animal companions. But use caution when applying products that make gardens grow, strengthen and improve lawns, and control insects and pests, as they can be toxic to pets. Even certain plants and flowers can be poisonous to pets. Here are some tips to keep everyone safe this summer:
Poison Control & Emergency Veterinary Care
It's always a good idea to have on hand the phone numbers for your veterinarian, a local emergency veterinary hospital, and poison control.
If you suspect poisoning, call the ASPCA's Poison Control Hotline (1-888-426-4435, $55 fee) or the Pet Poison Helpline (1-800-213-6680, $35 fee) or your veterinarian immediately.
Fertilizers and Herbicides
- Before applying a chemical, consider whether a less invasive, chemical-free remedy might be just as effective.
- Store all fertilizers, herbicides and insecticides in their original packaging and away from pets.
- Be sure to read labels before application; overapplication can lead to excess residue.
- Cover or remove outdoor food bowls, water dishes and bird baths before any applications of chemicals.
- Do not let your pets in the yard while applying chemicals. Wait until chemicals have dried before allowing a pet to access the treated area. Pets who walk on treated surfaces and then lick their paws can be poisoned. Consider wetting down a lawn after application and then letting it dry before allowing pets into the area. As an extra precaution, you may choose to keep your pets out of the yard for three to four days after application.
Wash your pets feet after walking in parks or neighborhoods; carry water with you in the car or have them hop in the tub once home! It's important they NOT ingest toxins!
Insecticides and Pesticides
- Insecticides tend to be more toxic to pets than herbicides or fertilizers, so use more caution with those products, especially slug and snail bait.
- The most dangerous forms of pesticides include: slug and snail bait (containing metaldehyde), fly bait (containing methomyl), systemic insecticides (containing disyston or disulfoton), mole or gopher bait (containing zinc phosphide), and most forms of rat poisons.
- Store all insecticides and pesticides in their original packaging and away from pets at all times.
- Slug bait contains a chemical called "metaldehyde" and dogs are attracted to the taste of the mixture. Ingestion of just two ounces by a 22-pound dog can induce signs of poisoning (tremors, seizures, shaking, vomiting, hyper-salivation, rapid heart rage, abdominal pain) in less than an hour. If you notice that your pet might be suffering from slug bait poisoning, contact your veterinarian immediately.
Natural alternatives to insecticides and pesticides include:
- Diatomaceous Earth: This is made from fossilized remains of one-celled algae. It feels like talcum powder, but scratches and absorbs the wax layer on a bug's surface, leaving it to die from dehydration.
- Fermenting Liquid: Set out shallow containers of yeast, water and spoiled yogurt or beer, and bury the container flush with the soil surface. Slugs love the scent of yeast
Summer Weather Safety
During the summer months, many of us will be spending more time outdoors with our pets and will be more likely to take our pets along on errands. While interaction with your pet is important for its health and well-being, hot weather does pose risks for our animal friends. Keep your pets cool this summer with these helpful tips.
Never leave your pet unattended in a vehicle during warm days
Even when outside temperatures are a moderate 70 degrees, a car or truck cab can become a miniature greenhouse. The temperature inside a car can quickly climb to more than 110 degrees. Because dogs don't perspire (they pant to take in cooler air), the distress of a hot car can make them panic, which only aggravates the problem.
Many cases of heatstroke happen when dogs are locked in cars with windows rolled up or cracked slightly. Heatstroke is life-threatening for animals. If not caught in its earliest stages, heatstroke can mean quick death for your pet.
Provide your pet with plenty of clean, cool drinking water
- This is very important in order to avoid dehydration. However, do not let your dog drink a lot of water before, during or after exercise because a condition called gastric torsion or bloat may result. A dog, especially a deep-chested breed like the German Shepherd, can die from bloat. Its stomach may swell and even rotate like a wringing towel, which cuts off blood supply through the stomach.
Avoid exercising your pet during the midday summer heat
- Exercising your animal is important, but it is better to do so in the early morning or evening hours when the temperatures are lower. If you run with your dog, it is important to gradually build an exercise program that your dog can handle. Dogs can suffer from heatstroke if overworked.
If you notice your animal behaving in a peculiar way and suspect it may be suffering from heatstroke or bloat, contact your veterinarian immediately.
- Beware of exercising your dog on hot pavement
Because dogs don't have tennis shoes, they need pad protection. Your dog can get damaged or blistered feet if it doesn't have time to build up its food pads. Consider running on the roadside or grass.
- Protect your pet from sunburn
Just like humans, pets can get a sunburn, too. Help your pet avoid a sunburn by avoiding the sun during the brightest part of the day (10 am to 4 pm) or use a pet-specific sunscreens which are fragrance free, non-staining, and contain UVA and UVB blockers. Do not use human sunscreens on pets; most are toxic if ingested by dogs or cats. Check the label, as some pet-specific products are not appropriate for use on cats.
- Keep fleas in check
As temperatures rise, so does the flea population. Flea control is important for several reasons. Flea bites cause local skin irritation and swelling that may cause your pet discomfort. Some dogs and cats will develop an allergic reaction to flea bites. This intense irritation may result in constant scratching, which can lead to hair loss or a bacterial skin infection know as "hot spots." Fleas are also intermediate hosts for tapeworms and can transmit bacteria, viruses, and protozoa.
Consult your veterinarian for the newest and most effective forms of flea control, such as monthly growth inhibitors and topical insecticides. Read labels before applying as products labeled for dogs only are not safe for cats.
With the proper precautions, you and your pet will enjoy a fun, comfortable, and healthy summer.
For More Summer Safety Tips Check Out This Wonderful Website:
Oregon Veterinary Medical Association
- 4th of July Safety
- Air Travel with Your Pet
- Pet Friendly Lodging
- Back Yard Hazards
- Summer Weather Safety
- Lyme Disease
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