Keep Your Pet Safe From Pesticides
by Dr. Wendy Sokol, guest contributor

If you call your Pesticide/Lawn Company and inquire about the safety of their products, it is almost guaranteed that you will get the "company line" of "our products are perfectly safe and do not harm pets." What I want you to know are THE FACTS....

Pesticides are absorbed into your pet's system in a few different ways:

• Dermally or directly through the skin - When your pet walks across the lawn or rolls in the grass/garden.
• Orally - Your pet licking her paws after walking on the lawn and thus swallowing the pesticide.
• Inhalation - Your pet sniffing/snuffling around the lawn after the pesticide has been applied.

Once a pesticide has been applied to your lawn, your pet should:

• NEVER BE ALLOWED NEAR THAT AREA FOR 24 FULL HOURS, and the area should be completely DRY before your pet is allowed in/on that area.
• If it is raining, WAIT ANOTHER 24 FULL HOURS before your pet is allowed access to that area.

With six animals of my own, this is how my lawn gets treated:

• One week the front yard is treated by itself, and my pets go out in the backyard ONLY for a full week!
• Then the following week, the backyard is treated by itself, and the pets go out in the front yard ONLY for a week.

A very, very important note is that you should always ask and then research the ACTIVE INGREDIENTS (not the name of the product) that are being applied to your lawn or garden. This way you will know what specific signs to watch for if your pet becomes ill. If you see any of the signs, get your pet PROMPT medical care. Time is not on our side. So if you even suspect pesticide toxicity/poisoning in your pet, get them to the veterinarian immediately. It is always better to be safe than sorry with suspected toxicity/poisoning.

The following are three of the most commonly used pesticides:

1. 2, 4-D is a common herbicide that has been used in agriculture for the past 55 years as well as in lawn and garden management. In 1991, a report was published in the journal of the National Cancer Institute reporting an association between dog owner's use of 2, 4-D and an increased risk of malignant lymphoma cancer in their pet dogs.
2. Organophosphates are found in insecticide dips and sprays as well as household, garden, and agricultural products. There appears to be individual variation in sensitivity to those compounds because not all animals in a household will develop clinical signs despite the same level of chemical exposure. Animals with less fat appear more susceptible to toxicity. Signs of toxicity include: hypersalivation, eyes tearing, urination, defecation, stumbling around, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, pupils of different sizes, seizures, paralysis, and severe trouble breathing. Death usually occurs when the pet can't breathe, and the heart stops. With certain organophosphates, clinical signs can occur days or many weeks after exposure.
3. Pyrethrins/Permethrins are commonly used insecticide products derived from the chrysanthemum plant. The natural pyrethrins are contact poisons, which quickly penetrate the nervous system of insects, killing them. When used correctly, pyrethrins are seldom toxic to dogs as there is a wide ra nge of safe usage. An exception is the use of spot-on type flea products that contain 45 - 65% permethrin. These products are labled only for dogs; even small amounts on cats can cause tremors and seizures as cats are exquisitely susceptible to the toxic effects of permethrins. Signs of toxicity include: depression, hypersalivation, hyperexcitability, muscle tremors, vomiting, diarrhea, ataxia, and anorexia. Other signs include fever, or the opposite, low body temperature, weakness, seizures, skin irritation, or trouble breathing.

It is very important to distinguish the exact chemical to which your pet has been exposed. Because while the signs are similar, their clinical management and outcome for the pet differ depending on the chemical and how quickly the pet gets medical treatment.

In closing, I hope you learned the following: the different ways pets are exposed to chemicals, the importance of knowing the active ingredient being applied to your lawn/garden, the signs to watch for if you suspect pesticide toxicity in your pet, and finally DO NOT WAIT to take your pet to the veterinarian if you suspect pesticide toxicity in your pet.