21/04/2024
Its spring and that means gardening! As well as calls relating to plant ingestion, here at Animal PoisonLine/VPIS we have seen an increase in enquiries about exposure to fertilisers and patio cleaner, slug baits and weedkillers. We would urge everyone to keep garden chemicals away from pets and follow all safety advice on the labels.
🪴Fertilisers - will usually cause vomiting and diarrhoea, but no serious effects unless eaten in large quantity
🪴Slug bait - metaldehyde slug pellets are very dangerous even in small quantity and immediate advice should be sought for any ingestion. Ferrous based baits may cause gastrointestinal upset but the risk of iron toxicity is low unless large amounts are ingested relative to bodyweight.
🪴Patio cleaners - these generally contain quaternary ammonium compounds. They are very irritant and may cause damage to the skin and the mouth. Cats are particularly sensitive to these products and can develop serious oral injuries , pyrexia and inappetance. They often require veterinary care and recovery can take several days. Walking through wet product can be enough to cause a problem .
🪴Weedkiller - toxicity will vary depending on the active ingredient in the product, dilution and level of exposure. Glyphosate (an organophosphate) and dicamba/phenoxyacetic acid chemicals are often present in products available widely for use in the garden. Follow instructions carefully, keep all packaging and seek advice after exposure. In all cases ingestion of the neat product is more likely to cause significant toxicity than walking through treated grass. Signs include gastrointestinal upset, skin irritation and neurological signs (in severe cases)
Visiting Vet covering Chorleywood / Rickmansworth and surrounding areas
