Everyone loves a beautiful green lawn. Unfortunately, some lawn care products have chemicals that may be toxic to your pet. It is imperative to become educated and ensure that your dog is not exposed to anything dangerous.
One of the most common toxicities for dogs is cocoa bark mulch. This dark brown mulch smells a bit like chocolate. Dogs who tend to ingest foreign objects, or chew on inappropriate things, are especially attracted to mulch. Dogs may inadvertently chew on cocoa mulch, causing it to build up a toxicity in their system. In some rare cases, it may result in death. Many dogs will ingest small amounts of this simply by walking through a yard.
Ask your landscaper or gardening center about Diatomaceous Earth or DE. This product is natural and is made from ground up single cell organisms resembling ground up coral or talcum powder. This product is very inexpensive yet extremely effective. It is a natural way to treat your yard for fleas and ticks without the potential of poisoning your pet. It is a main component of flea powder and works by sucking the moisture out of the insect’s body, thus causing it to dry from the inside out.
Be careful of products that are made with petroleum or other potential toxins. Even if your dog does not ingest the actual product, he may lick his paws or coat once inside thus causing a mild toxicity to build up.
