Could the pesticides and fertilizers I use on my lawn be dangerous to my pet?

If you plan to use pesticides or fertilizers on your lawn, be mindful of your cat or dog. You may want to keep your pet indoors for twenty-four hours after applying any chemicals to your yard.

But don’t panic. Lawn chemicals may irritate your pet when he licks his paws, but if they’re properly applied, they very rarely can poison a pet. Puddles of herbicides or pesticides, however, could be dangerous, so make sure to clean up any spills before your pet gets to them.

Research has also shown an increase in a type of cancer called lymphoma in dogs that have been exposed to the herbicide two-four-d. So make sure to read the labels of the products you use, and take precautions accordingly.

– Dr. Andrea Looney, DVM for the “Purina® Animal Instincts” Podcast Series

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