Do Lawn Fertilizers Hurt Dogs?

Dogs tend to stick anything into their mouths and have been known to eat lawn fertilizers. Lawn fertilizers can kill or poison dogs and other pets, according to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.

Types

• Lawn fertilizers can hurt dogs in two ways. Fertilizers can poison the dog because they contain heavy metals, especially iron. They can also poison pets by becoming stuck inside of the dog's digestive system.

Prevention

• To prevent dogs from eating lawn fertilizer, store it in shelves or containers that the dog cannot get into. Each brand of fertilizer will recommend that pets not be allowed onto lawns for a certain time period after application. Keep dogs off of the lawn until the recommended time period has passed.

Warning

• Signs of iron poisoning in dogs tend to come on within 24 hours of eating the fertilizer and include bloody diarrhea, vomiting and being far more drowsy than usual. Any dog with these signs needs to be taken to a vet immediately.