By Elizabeth Bublitz, Owner of Pawfriendly Landscapes And Kris Ahlgrim, D.V.M, Owner of Goldenview Veterinary Hospital
It’s finally time to get outside and garden again! There is nothing more exciting than seeing spring blooms, hearing birds sing, and enjoying longer days. But while taking in what Mother Nature has to offer, we must protect our pets from the many hazards lurking in the garden.
When designing a pet-friendly backyard, certain considerations should include non-toxic plants, safe edging, secure fences, and wildlife deterrents. Some hazards that our dogs can face in the garden are insect stings, spider bites, GI obstructions due to rock mulch, cut paws from edging, sunburn, escape, and encounters with unwelcome wildlife.
Bee stings—Ouch! Pets don’t like bee, hornet or wasp stings any more than people do. Although all plants will attract some bees while flowering, there are plants with sweeter nectar that will attract a greater amount of bees. Position these plants (Blue Mist Spirea/Bluebeard: Caryopteris, clandonensis and Russian Sage: Perovskia atriplicifolia), and any others you’ve noticed that attract bees, in areas your dog cannot access. Although bees typically will not sting humans unless they’re provoked, oftentimes dogs snap at them and can be stung in their mouths.
Wasps and hornets may build nests in trees or garden sheds. Monitor these areas and have the hornet/wasp nest removed by a professional. If your dog is stung by a bee, wasp, or hornet, remove the stinger by scraping it with a credit card—it will continue to release venom until it is removed. You can pack the affected area with ice and use an anti-itching cream like calamine lotion or benadryl cream. Like humans, dogs can experience an anaphylactic reaction—wheezing, trembling, chills, vomiting, diarrhea, or collapse. Contact your veterinarian immediately if the dog shows any of these signs or if this is his first sting.
Spider Bites—If you suspect your pet has been bitten by a spider, check for visible blisters, which are often but not always present. Your pet may react to the venom in two to six hours. Take your pet to the veterinarian’s office if he exhibits the following symptoms: increased heart rate, paralysis, severe abdominal pain, drooling, cramping of the back and chest (signs of black widow bite), vomiting, weakness, seizures, and pain (signs of a brown recluse bite). Spider bites can be very serious, leading to respiratory or cardiovascular collapse and death. If you can safely contain the spider, take it to the veterinarian’s office for identification.
Gastro-intestinal obstructions due to “rock sundaesâ€â€” If your dog eats rock mulch, it’s best to use wood mulch (dogs may also eat and dig at wood but it passes), pavers, or large cobble (that he cannot carry in his mouth). Sliced paws due to edging—Steel edging is used in almost every landscape design because it divides gardens and prevents the migration of one material into another, such as sod migrating into rock mulch. However, steel edging is like having an exposed knife blade in the backyard. Although a safety cap is sold separately to be secured on the top of the edging, many homeowners do not know to purchase it, or it weathers and pops off, exposing the sharp edging. If you have steel edging, you can install a secure safety cap called Guard-N-Edge or remove it altogether and instead use rolltop edging (the top is rolled to act like a cap so it’s all one Escape—There is nothing more heartbreaking than seeing signs for a lost dog in a neighborhood.
Also heartbreaking is the most common emergency seen by veterinarians: a pet being hit by a car. Oftentimes, these tragedies could have been prevented if certain cost-effective remedies were employed to prevent your pet from escaping the yard.
If you have a dog that likes to dig, sink chicken wire or chain link horizontally under the fence to prevent him from burrowing under it. Also, pounding vinyl lattice (it ages in soil better than cedar) two feet down into the ground along the fence will prevent Spot from digging out. If he’s jumping the fence, use a product called Coyote Roller™ or secure lattice onto the fence at an angle that will deter him from escaping. All of these remedies also prevent wildlife from entering. However, another way dogs escape is by having faulty fences.
If your dog is compromising the health of your fence by lunging on it to get to the neighbor’s dog or barking at passersby, install dog windows. I call this solution “Four on the Floor†since it keeps dogs at ground level, where they can see out and bark at the visitor. Cut out a 3’x3’ window in the slats of your fence, secure a 4’x4’ mesh or chicken wire over the window and voila, you have a doggie window. If you change your mind, buying and installing new slats is very inexpensive. It’s a very easy and cost-effective solution to keep your fence healthy. Also, your dog’s nails will be spared since he won’t be lunging and getting them caught in the slats.
Sunburn/sunstroke—Just like people, dogs can be overcome by heat and in non-pigmented (white) or lightly pigmented skin areas can become sunburned. Making sure your dog has shaded areas in the yard to relax in will help prevent both heatstroke and sunburn. There are also sunscreen products made especially for dogs that can be purchased at your local pet store or even veterinary office. If your dog becomes sunburned, have him evaluated by your veterinarian for treatment of the sunburned area. Likewise, if you think your dog has become a victim of heatstroke (collapse, heavy panting, drooling, rectal temperature above 103 degrees Fahrenheit), seek immediate veterinary attention after wetting down your dog’s feet and ears to start the cooling process. With a little knowledge and preparation, springtime can be enjoyed safely by both you and your four-legged family member!
