Is your yard making your dog sick?

“dog on grassy pavement” by Ben Konfrst on Unsplash

Let’s face it — for most of us, our dogs are part of our family. And like any family members, we do our best to keep them healthy and happy. Watching them in the yard, romping and playing, chasing balls, rolling in the grass, or just stretching out to enjoy a nap in the sun is one of the simple pleasures of having dogs in your home. But what if time spent in your yard was making your dog sick instead of happy?

According to Pesticide Watch, an estimated 70–80 million pounds of pesticides are sprayed on home lawns every year across the country. When you apply any kind of chemical, including pesticides and herbicides, to your lawn, garden, or landscaping, they aren’t all absorbed by plants. Chemical residue can hang around for days or weeks, coating leaves, rocks, or walkways. So anytime your dog — or any other member of your family — goes outside, they can inhale fumes, get the chemicals on their skin or fur, track them into the house, and eventually end up getting them in their mouth or eyes.

“person biting brown wood on road” by Jamie Street on Unsplash

Dogs can be particularly susceptible to exposure because they’re lower down to the ground, tend to eat grass or other plants, and pick up everything and groom themselves with their mouths. They aren’t just at risk when they’re outside either — studies from the Pesticide Education Center have found that the highest concentration of pesticides can actually be found indoors, where they were tracked in on shoes and paws and caught in carpet dust where they’ll break down even slower than outside. And who’s dog doesn’t spend time curled up on the carpet too?

“adult short-coated brown dog laying down on brown area mat covered floor” by Michael Mroczek on Unsplash

When your pet is exposed to pesticides and fertilizers there can be both immediate and long-term impacts on their health. Short-term effects include rashes, nausea and vomiting, eye irritation, and respiratory problems. In some cases, pets can even be poisoned by pesticides and herbicides, particularly organophosphates and carbamates, leading to seizures or death.

If you notice your dog exhibiting any of these symptoms, particularly after you’ve applied chemicals in your yard, you should bring them to the vet immediately.

Exposure to these chemicals can also have long-term and much more serious effects on your pets’ health. One study found that dogs exposed to herbicides are likely to have high levels of them in their urine, and are more likely to develop bladder cancer. Another study from Tufts University found that exposure to lawn pesticides increase the risk of canine malignant
lymphoma by 70%!

“woman carrying long-coated white dog near green leafed plants” by Valerie Elash on Unsplash

So if we know that our pets are particularly susceptible to pesticide and herbicide exposure, why are we bringing them into our homes and yards?

Well, if you’re cultivating plants on your property, whether it’s a lush lawn, vibrant flowers, or fresh fruits and vegetables, they’ll likely require the addition of nutrients to grow and thrive. But, while many of the most familiar bright-blue chemical fertilizers advertise miracle results, they provide the plant-equivalent of junk food.

“person measuring someone waist line” by rawpixel on Unsplash

Imagine if all you ate was potato chips, how unhealthy you would be and how much weaker your immune system would be. The same is true of plants: when we feed them junk food, we in turn have to use more pesticides and herbicides because they are not robust and healthy enough to counter these pests naturally.

But providing your lawn, flower, or vegetable gardens with proper nutrition from natural plant-food boosters like SmartNute produces hearty, resilient
plants, requiring up to 80% less fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides! That could mean 80% less exposure to harmful chemicals for your pets and family.

We owe it not only to man’s best friend, but to our children, communities, and planet to work toward this toxic-free future!

“dog biting red ball” by Mitchell Orr on Unsplash

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