Yard Alert

Here’s a good question to ask yourself. “Is my yard safe or a hazard to my Cavachon”?

Did you know that many lawn chemicals, popular plants, fences and mowers can all spell danger?

So what should you do? It’s not that hard really. A little education and simply screening your yard through your Cavachon’s eyes can go a very long way!

Chemicals

If used correctly, most chemicals pose a modest risk. An absolute exception is 2,4-D, usually used to control weeds like dandelions, clover, and thistles. A study published in The Journal of the National Cancer Institute found a link between the herbicide 2,4-D and malignant lymphoma in dogs. The report stated that dogs were two times more likely to develop lymphoma if their owners sprayed or even sprinkled the 2,4-D on the lawn more than three times per year. It was also found that even using the 2,4-D just one time a year on the lawn would raise the cancer risk to one-third higher than pets that were not exposed to the chemical. Check your lawn chemicals for 2,4-D. There are other safe alternatives to use such as Corn gluten, an organic fertilizer used on school fields, golf courses and residential lawns. Wiping or washing your dog’s paws after running outside is always a good idea…..especially if you don’t know what your neighbor is using on his lawn.

Lastly, don’t forget snail and other baits along with rodent and insect repellents that can poison your precious Cavachon. Take special care to always remember where you’ve applied them .

Plants

The list of plants toxic to dogs can seem almost endless. Symptoms from ingesting these various plants can range from vomiting, diarrhea, depression, cardiovascular collapse, shock, panting, difficulty breathing , dilated pupils, cardiovascular hyper salivation, weakness, coma, low blood pressure, cardiovascular collapse and death.

Some of the plants considered toxic may come as a surprise. Just a few of these plants and shrubs included on the list are Aloe, Azalea, Buttercup, Boxwood Shrub, Carnation, Chamomile, Chrysanthemum, Crocus, Daffodil, Dahlia, Varieties of Day Lilies, Elephant Ear, Varieties of Ferns, Geranium, Ivy, Hibiscus, Holly, Hydrangea, Iris, Japanese Yew, Morning Glory, Mum, Rhubarb, Thyme (yep, you’ve got to watch those herb gardens too), St. John’s Wort, Sweet Pea, Tomato Plant, Winterberry Bush, Yarrow, Yew and Yucca.

Be sure to check with a nursery if you’re wondering about your plants. If you do indeed have any toxic plants, remove or prevent access to them.

Outdoor Tools

Be cautious when using grass mowers, snow blowers, weed trimmers, chain saws and similar tools around your new Cavachon puppy or dog.

Fences

Dog collars can get hooked on fences or fence parts and unless your fence is fairly tall, your Cavachon MAY be able to jump over it. Worse than clearing the fence however, is getting a collar caught on the fence while attempting to jump it. This can lead to serious harm or even death.