The Dangers of Pesticides and Your Pets

Homeowners may not realize that they could potentially make their pets sick by using pesticides on the lawn and gardens. Since pesticides are developed to kill some living things such as insects and unwanted weeds, they may also be harmful to your pets. When you think about it, it’s important to know the dangers of pesticides and the effect they could have on your pets.

Pets can sometimes mistake these poisons as food. And, since they are considerably smaller than we are, when they absorb the pesticides through their skin or ingest it they are exposed to a higher concentration. The results can be reproductive problems, birth defects in any babies your pet has, skin irritation, cancer, and even death.

If you feel you must use pesticides in your yard or around your house, be sure your pet stays inside while they are being applied. Remove anything your pet uses outdoors – feeding bowls, water dishes, outside toys – from the area. Using pesticides in pellet form could be confusing to your pet and they may think its food.

Instead of using chemical pesticides in your yard, you may want to do research into the possibility of natural pesticides. With the emphasis on everything “green” you can probably find a good bit of information in the library. If they don’t have information, you may want to check with a county extension agency, agriculture department at a local college, or farmer’s co-op. There is also a wealth of information available on the internet.

What do you do if you think your pet may have been poisoned by pesticides? Of course, you’ll want to get your pet to the veterinarian as soon as possible. In addition:

* Keep your pet as warm and quiet as possible.

* Try to determine what type of pesticide your pet may have ingested or been exposed to. This will enable the veterinarian to make a better diagnosis.

* If possible take the pesticide with you and as gross as it sounds, you may also want to save the throw up for analysis.

* You may also want to determine what type of exposure they had to the poison. Whether the product was diluted or full-strength can make a difference. It would also help the veterinarian to know how long it has been since the pesticide had been applied.

Many people consider their pets to be almost as important as their children. They would do nearly anything to keep them healthy and happy. If this is how you feel about your pets, you may want to know the dangers of pesticides and herbicides to your pet. Once you understand the dangers to your pet, you may choose to use natural pesticides over those that are chemically based.