Dog Accidents in the Garden

There is an endless list of poisonous plants. It is best to keep an eye on your dog when he is out, and avoid letting him chew on anything. If you see your dog chewing a plant, use a favourite toy as a distraction – chasing and shouting can deter your dog from chewing a potentially poisonous plant. Azalea, daffodil, dieffenbachia, rhododendron and yew are among the more toxic plants encountered. Horse chestnut twigs, leaves, and conkers can also be poisonous.

Garden bone meal – provided that it does not contain fertiliser or insecticides – can cause gastrointestinal upset even when eaten in small amounts. Large quantities can produce a blockage of the bowel. If you are gardening with bone meal, the smell can attract the interest of “dogs that dig”, which may be unfortunate if what you are planting is toxic, such as daffodil or autumn crocus bulbs. Snacking from the compost heap can cause illness – the moulds in decaying compost can produce vomiting, twitching, tremors and worse.

Grass seeds – the ones that look like barley ears – are rarely life threatening, but they commonly enter ears and stick in feet. Check your dog after a walk and remove them. Trim feathered ears and paws so that long hairs do not trap seeds.