How are fertilizers toxic to dogs?
A fertilizer is a product composed of organic or mineral substances, used alone or in combination. They are used to improve plant growth, indoors or in gardens, by providing nutrients such as nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and trace elements.
These products usually come in the form of solutions to dilute, granules to dissolve or disseminate or sticks to plant.
With the exception of potassium-rich fertilizers (toxic for the heart), dog poisoning by NPK mineral fertilizers, fertilizers based on nitrates and superphosphates are generally moderate, because the quantity of product ingested by the dog is not very important (the products have a low palatability for the dog).However, they can cause digestive irritation.
On the other hand, organic fertilizers based on animal by-products (poultry manure, bone powder, dried blood) or plants are much more dangerous for the dog because the latter can ingest larger quantities. . Their toxicity is mainly digestive.
Organic amendments such as castor oil cake and organomineral fertilizers made from cocoa pods can also pose a danger to the dog. The former contain ricin, a highly toxic protein for dogs, while the latter contain theobromine, the molecule responsible for the toxicity of chocolate.
What are the signs of organic fertilizer poisoning in dogs?
When a dog accidentally swallows organic fertilizer, poisoning is mainly manifested by digestive signs such as:
- vomiting and abdominal pain,
- diarrhea,
- hypersalivation.
The first signs of poisoning may appear immediately after ingesting fertilizer or may not appear until a few hours later.
The symptoms that follow the ingestion of castor oil cake or fertilizer made from cocoa pods are generally more severe and can rapidly progress to the death of the animal.
Warning!
If fertilizers are combined with other substances such as an anti-moss or weed killer, dog poisoning can also be severe! The signs of intoxication are then linked to the complementary product used in the formulation of the fertilizer.
My dog swallowed fertilizer: what to do?
If your dog has ingested fertilizer, contact your veterinarian, an on-call veterinary clinic or a poison control veterinary center without delay.Do not wait for your dog to show signs of intoxication. Before calling, make sure you have the fertilizer label where its exact composition is specified in order to communicate it to your veterinarian. If possible, try to quantify the amount of fertilizer ingested by your animal.
Do not attempt to induce vomiting on your own initiative and do not give your pet anything else to eat or drink.
If the poisoning is proven, your veterinarian can quickly put in place an eliminatory and/or symptomatic treatment in order to limit the effects of the poisoning in the first case and to alleviate your dog's symptoms in the second case. second.
Always keep in mind that you have to act quickly! In terms of poisoning, the sooner your animal is taken care of, the better its prognosis!