Is Weed And Feed Toxic To Dogs And Cats?
Jake and Maggie enjoyed the weekend by swimming in Aunt Carla's pool :-).
What an awesome feeling to see my two babies enjoying themselves splashing in the pool. These two are like fishes! Thanks Aunt Carla and Uncle John for having all of us over for swims and pizza :-).
The term “weed and feed” refers to lawn care products that contain a combination of fertilizer and herbicides. Most of the products available in stores contain chemicals and can hurt your pet if they get the toxins on their fur or paws and then lick themselves.
NPIC (National Pesticide Information Center) fact sheets are designed to answer questions that are commonly asked by the general public about pesticides that are regulated by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). This document is intended to be educational in nature and helpful to consumers for making decisions about pesticide use. Call the National Pesticide Information Center at 1-800-858-7378 for more information.
- To avoid toxic exposure, water the lawn before applying commercial weed and feed products.
- Consider treating only sections of your yard at a time so that there is room for your pets to go potty or play.
- This causes the fertilizers and herbicides to adhere to the grass blades.
- It stays on the grass blades until you water the lawn again, some 24 to 48 hours after the application.
- Be sure to check the label for warnings and instructions.
- During the period between the first and second watering, pets should not be allowed on the lawn. The chemicals are present on the grass blades and your dog or cat can lick up the toxins on their fur or paws.
- Dogs might even eat grass treated with the chemicals.
- When you water the lawn again, you wash the chemicals from the foliage. It passes into the soil where it is absorbed by the plant roots and kills the weeds. At this point, your lawn is safe for pets again but, again,
- Drooling
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Trouble breathing
- Neurological problems
- Brown-colored gums
- Lethargy
- Convulsions
- Pet Poison Helpline: Protecting Pets from Poisons in the Yard and Garden – https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/uncategorized/protecting-pets-from-poisons-in-the-yard-and-garden/
- Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association; Herbicide Exposure and the Risk of Transitional Cell Carcinoma of the Urinary Bladder in Scottish Terriers;Lawrence T. Glickman et al. – https://avmajournals.avma.org/doi/abs/10.2460/javma.2004.224.1290
- Eco Garden Pro Weed Killer (SAFE FOR: PETS, CHILDREN, BEES, FISH, AND ANY LIVESTOCK) – https://www.ecogardensolution.com/products/eco-garden-pro-organic-weed-killer
Resources
- Natural Resources Defense Council: A Lawn Care Pesticide Threatens Health and is Poised to Get Worse – https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/Lurking-in-the-Weeds-FS.pdf
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We have 2 cats that like to chase each other on our lawn. There are some dandalions and a lot of white clover, and some yellow areas so I
was thinking of putting weed and feed on the areas.
I purchased Weed and Feed from Ace and when I read the directions I became concerned – would the product be bad for the cats licking it off of their paws/fur? I certainly don’t want to harm our sweet pets.
Please advise if there is something safe for the cats and birds that will
help make our lawn what we would like it to look like.
Helo Adeline, Yes, I received both comments. I would be concerned that the cats would get sick by licking the weed and feed off their paws. I use Pogis organic wipes to wipe off my dogs after being outside. I did a blog post here about it: https://twoadorablelabs.com/pogis-grooming-wipes-for-your-pet/. You might want to try something like this to wipe down your cats after being outside playing. Scroll through this post to see if this is something that interests you.
I found a great site on treating your lawn naturally while being pet safe. https://homeguides.sfgate.com/weed-feed-lawn-not-hurt-pets-27378.html. Also, you might want to try treating only sections of the lawn and trying to keep your cats in a certain area if that is possible. Another product found on Amazon is Green Gobbler 20% Vinegar Weed & Grass Killer | Natural and Organic | 1 Gallon Spray | Glyphosate Free Herbicide. I found this product via this website: https://www.greatpetcare.com/pet-safety/pet-safe-weed-killer/
Another site that I use often is http://www.chewy.com. Just an FYI if you are interested.
Hope this helps you!! Thanks for your comments. Bobbi Jo
Is the above that I entered beginning with “We have 2 cats not the comment? I’m confused – what do you need now other than my name and email?
Hello Adeline, I received both comments and do not need anything. My response will go to your email that you provided.
Thanks,
Bobbi Jo