Pet friendly landscapes. This season as you clean up your yard and begin new landscaping projects, veterinarian, Dr. Carol Osborne offers tips for creating pet friendly landscapes. If your yard is fenced, be sure to check your fence. Look for loose boards, exposed nails, broken chain links, or any gaps that may allow your dog to escape. Be sure your yard has shady areas and fresh water so your pet can stay cool and avoid overexposure to the sun. When considering plants for your landscaping, avoid potential poisonous plants and trees. Some of the more common plants include:
- Azaleas
- Lilies
- Morning glories
- Daffodils
- Tulips
A complete list of poisonous plants can be found at www.aspca.org. This site also lists non-toxic plants that can be used in your landscaping. Although poison ivy is not typically a problem for our pets, it’s a good idea to keep it out of your yard free. The ivy’s oils can be transferred to people from pet’s fur. Since dogs and cats are naturally curious, keep your lawn and garden products up high out of paw reach or behind a secure door. Many of these products are potentially poisonous or even fatal for pets. Avoid using cocoa mulch in your garden. The color and smell are great but, for dogs it can be toxic. Cocoa mulch contains high levels of caffeine and Theobromide, both of which can be toxic to dogs.
Keeping your lawn well manicured, adds to the beauty of your yard, and helps to prevent irritating awns and foxtails from attaching to your pets. Foxtails and awns can penetrate under your dog’s skin. These irritating seeds also tend to get stuck in dog’s ears, nostrils and between their toes. Avoid using stainless steel garden edging. This product has a sharp edge that can easily cut your dogs’ feet and/or face.