What Are the Symptoms a Dog Experiences After Eating Fertilizer?

Always pay close attention to your dog while he's enjoying time in your garden or yard. If your pooch consumes fertilizer, it could have toxic effects. Dogs are often attracted to grass that contains fertilizer, so it's important for owners to be extremely vigilant in these situations.

The majority of fertilizers available have nitrogen as an ingredient. They also generally include potassium and phosphorus. Some even have copper, iron, manganese, boron, zinc, cobalt and molybdenum. These ingredients, in significant amounts, can often be poisonous to dogs and to cats. Fertilizers also frequently have fungicides, pesticides and herbicides that make the possibility of toxicity even stronger. Chemicals in fertilizers can sometimes be carcinogenic, too, and therefore can raise the possibility of cancer in canines.

If your dog was unmonitored and consumed just a small amount of fertilizer, he might experience a moderate degree of stomach upset. If your dog ate just a small amount, he might pass watery and runny rather than firm stools, for example. Apart from diarrhea, he also might experience classic upset stomach symptoms such as bloating and gas.

Consumption of significant amounts of fertilizer naturally can lead to more serious toxicity symptoms in dogs. Chemicals such as nitrogen and iron often contribute to stronger risks of toxicity. If your pet ingested a considerable amount of a fertilizer that is meal-based, he might develop a stomach concretion. This could lead to major health emergencies including pancreatitis and bowel obstruction.

Fertilizer ingestion can bring upon a variety of different symptoms in dogs. Diarrhea and throwing up are two common symptoms. Some fertilizers consist of considerable amounts of minerals that are capable of bringing upon liver damage, stomach ulcers, seizures and hemolytic anemia in dogs. These mineral-packed fertilizers are capable of burning canines' mouths, as well. Note that moldy fertilizers can bring upon symptoms such as seizures and tremors in dogs. Other symptoms to look out for include problems breathing, nausea, excessive salivation, gums with a muddy color to them and unusual posture. These posture changes arise due to severe abdominal aching.

If you caught your dog consuming any amount of fertilizer, seek emergency veterinary attention for him immediately. If you notice any of these symptoms in your pet, do the same even if you didn't catch him actually ingesting anything.

If you have a dog, exercise caution when you purchase fertilizers for your lawn. Opt for pet-friendly and nontoxic fertilizer options. Also be sure to keep these products out of your dog's reach at all times.

Be cautious when it comes to fertilizer application and dogs. If you apply fertilizer on bushes in your garden, for example, think about getting a fence that will ensure that your curious pet can't get anywhere near it. Never let your pet stay outside when you're in the midst of fertilizer application.