Your yard can be a wonderland for your pet; full of interesting smells, grass to roll in, bugs to chase and shady spots for naps.  However, if you use fertilizers, pesticides or other chemicals, it can be a potentially dangerous place for your pet.  Below are some of the common yard-related pet emergencies veterinarian’s have encountered; as well as some tips on how you can prevent them:

1. Pesticides: Slug bait, rodent and ant poisons are particularly dangerous, because the taste entices pets to consume them. Small quantities can be very dangerous to your pet.

Prevention tips: Ask your local nursery for pet-friendly gardening products and follow application instructions carefully. Tightly seal containers and store them in a secure place.

2. Poisonous Mushrooms: There are a variety of poisonous plants and flowers that are dangerous to curious pets. However, mushrooms are the most commonly ingested organic material in the yard during the summer.

Prevention tips: Remove mushrooms you find growing in the yard. Mushrooms are a fungus and they can grow quickly, even overnight, so check your yard frequently.

3. Poisonous Snake Bites: Curious pets and snakes don’t mix well. In some areas of the country, a meeting of the two species can result in a venomous bite to your pet.

Prevention tips: Find out what poisonous snakes, if any, are in your area and learn to identify them.

Make the yard unattractive to snakes by getting rid of board piles, debris or trash piles, high grass and weedy areas.

If you suspect your pet has encountered any of the above, please take your pet to your vet immediately.