Backyard Dangers For Your Pets

Backyards are places where you can enjoy your own space and play with kids and pets.  Many pets spend time alone in the backyard when their owners are out or at work so it is important to be aware of backyard dangers that may affect them.

Some of the things that can be dangerous in the backyard are poisons, toxic plants, sticks, poisonous visitors, swimming pools and fences.

Toxic plants that can be a backyard danger

You may not be aware of the number of toxic plants in your yard.  Some of them are very surprising.

Poisonous plants include azalea, bleeding heart, buttercup, cyclamen, daffodil, daphne, delphinium, eggplant leaves, hyacinth, hydrangea, iris, lily of the valley, narcissus, peony roots, rhododendron, rhubarb leaves, tomato plant leaves and tulip.

Pips or seeds of the following can be dangerous as your pet can choke on them if swallowed – apple, apricot, avocado, cherry, macadamia and peach.

Trees/bushes that may be harmful include avocado, holly, sago palm, yesterday today and tomorrow and oleander.

Leaves, twigs, seeds and stems of peach, plum, apricot and cherry trees, contain gallotannin and cyanogenic glycosides. These chemicals can cause shock, dilated pupils, difficulty breathing and sometimes even death.

You may want to either remove or restrict access to these backyard dangers so that your pets are safe.

Sticks

Many vets have reported that stick injuries are common.  Throwing a stick for your dog is a game that dogs, and their humans, love.  One of our clients reported that they had to take their dog to the vet after a game of fetching a stick.  This occurred because, when they threw a stick for their dog, it got caught in his mouth and throat and they couldn’t remove it without veterinary assistance.