Is Weed And Feed Toxic To Dogs And Cats?

Jul 7, 2020 | Health, Pets, Products

Happy Wednesday everyone!  Hope you are all having a great week so far!  Today I’d like to talk about weed and feed for lawns.  Yes, I know…might be boring but so important.  Have you ever stood back and compared your lawn to your neighbors?  I admit that I have.  Our association requires us to professionally treat our front lawns and up both sides of our house to the back half way.  We own almost an acre and the treatment stops at the end of our patio.  Then the weeds start and it looks so terrible.  It’s like dandelion city back there while our neighbors just built a house and put in a fresh beautiful lawn.
 
So, I went to Walmart and grabbed a bag of weed and feed by Scott’s.  The first question Thomas asked me is if it was toxic to dogs and I literally felt anxious because I thought about every other time I had used weed killer when I had my other three dogs and might have harmed them using a product the wrong way.  The good news is that I bought Scotts Turf Builder Weed and Feed 3 which is non-toxic to pets if directions on the bag are followed.  Just to be safe…We made a plan to only treat parts of the lawn at a time so that Jake and Maggie were not walking on something that could make them very ill.  Now the yard looks amazing but I’m putting out this post (although late in the summer) for anyone who wants to know more about the dangers of treating your lawn when you have pets and for reference next summer!
 

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.

 
A GREAT RESOURCE AND FACT SHEET:  http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/petspest.pdf
 

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.

 
Keep pets away!
  • 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,
 
 
Check out another great resource on 2,4-D
 
What is 2,4-D?
2,4-D is a herbicide that kills plants by changing the way certain cells grow. 2,4-D comes in several chemical forms, including salts, esters, and an acid form. The toxicity of 2,4-D depends on its form. The form also affects what will happen to 2,4-D in the environment and what impacts it may have, especially on fish. 2,4-D is used in many products to control weeds, and it is often mixed with other herbicides in these products.
 
Possible effects of exposure to weed and feed can be severe depending on the size of your dog and the amount ingested.
From short term gastrointestinal issues, while larger amounts can result in severe toxic effects like:
  • Drooling
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Trouble breathing
  • Neurological problems
  • Brown-colored gums
  • Lethargy
  • Convulsions
 
 
 
Here are more great references to read if you are looking for more information as well as Eco Garden Pro Weed Killer being safe for pets, children, bees, fish, and any livestock
 
References

Resources

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