“It is ironic to think that man might determine his own future by something so seemingly trivial as the choice of an insect spray.” – Rachel Carson, Silent Spring
I smelled something a bit peculiar on my walk today that was quite different from the typical smells that I so often encounter. It had a toxic tinge that made my eyes water, and fumes that made my nose burn; for a moment I thought my lungs would explode! As I got closer to the offensive odor, I came upon a warning sign that made me shudder…
Everyone knows how much we (dogs) like to keep our noses to the ground, and a study that will appear in the July issue of Science of the Total Environment validates my own thoughts on how horrible I think garden and lawn chemicals are. I’ve voiced my concern on many occasions, and feel that we have a particularly unfair disadvantage when it comes to lawn poisons. With our noses to the ground, we love to explore and investigate everything, not knowing that a lush, green, weed-free lawn, can possess a danger that lurks far beyond our canine imaginations.
According to the study, dogs are ingesting, inhaling and otherwise being exposed to garden and lawn chemicals that have been associated with bladder cancer. The chemicals are common herbicides, names of which I can’t even pronounce, and contain: 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), 4-chloro-2- methylphenoxypropionic acid (MCPP) and/or dicamba.
Dogs that walk, roll or play on chemically treated areas, pick up chemicals on their paws and their fur, which then gets tracked into homes, and you know what that means…nasty chemicals all over the floor and furniture, as well as all of the other places that we visit. And just think about where those chemicals go if we decide to chew on some grass, or if we lick our paws or other parts of our body. Yep you got it, they end up deep inside our bodies!! I love a good roll in my own backyard just like the next dog, but another part of the study also found that wind could carry the chemicals up to 50 feet away from the application site, so if your neighbor uses chemicals they can potentially float into your yard. Ugh!
As if all of this isn’t bad enough, I’m sure you’ve guessed by now what happens to humans, both the big ones and the little ones, when we share our loving selves with you. All of that snuggling and petting passes those disgusting chemicals along and contaminates you too.
The study also suggested that Scottish Terriers, West Highland White Terriers, Shetland Sheepdogs, Beagles and Wire Fox Terriers are at more risk because they already have a high genetic tendency to get bladder cancer.
The full study will be published in the July issue of Science of the Total Environment, and you can learn more about the study by reading, “Dogs Absorb Lawn Chemicals”.
I’ll end on this note. All herbicides that are manufactured must include a list of ingredients, and many include a warning label as well. The list is deadly and the warnings are daunting. That said, chemicals and pesticides continue to seep into our environment, seemingly without a second thought to the health and well being of mankind. So maybe, just maybe, the use of chemicals would be less welcomed if the following label were added…
Herbicides + Dogs = Cancer!
