Most people and lawn companies use weed killer and herbicides liberally, spraying weeds growing in the cracks of driveways, walkways, and parking lots, and preventing weeds in flower beds and landscaping. Sometimes people will also spray around trees and buildings and other obstacles to eliminate the need for weedeating. One question we get asked from time to time is whether or not these chemicals will hurt their pets. Usually these furry friends are like part of the family, so it would be a shame to unwittingly harm one with spraying chemicals unaware. Because we have pets of our own, we can definitely relate to the concern and want to provide some clarity to this worrisome topic.
These chemicals certainly could be harmful if you use them irresponsibly. If for some reason you were to spray any of these herbicides and weed killers directly on or around your pet and give them direct exposure, it would definitely not be healthy. Your pet could experience sickness, vomiting, and perhaps more longterm effects.
However for the most part, most of these brands of chemicals are considered safe to use around your pets as long as you can keep the pets from the area until it dries. We would recommend taking your pet inside or keeping them in a different part of the your yard while you are applying these chemicals. Once they dry your pet should be safe.
There are some products though that are altogether unsafe for use around your pets. Products like snail and slug bait using metaldehyde, as well as any pesticides that include disulfoton, this is a chemical that has mostly been pulled off the market, but is still found in some stores. It is found sometimes in rose care products. Avoid these chemicals absolutely to protect your pet. Especially because these products attract pets and dogs will eat as much as they can get a hold of. Sometimes they are mixed with fertilizers like bone meal and blood meal, making it even more appealing to canines.
So please take care to know what product you’re using and what is in it before you spray around animals. We hope this has helped give some enlightenment to keeping man’s best friend and other furry companions safe from harmful use of chemicals. You may also consider some natural home remedies for weed killers if you’re worried about any chemical exposure to your pets.
Herbicides can be tricky to use; it’s not always easy to know the right mixture, and the right amount to apply to kill what you want and not hurt other plants around it. You can always save yourself some risk and trouble, and hire the professionals here at Cutting Edge Lawn Care to take care of all things lawn care and landscaping.