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Dog owners, be warned. Experts say some lawn treatment chemicals can be harmful to pets.

Summer, the season for grabbing a shovel of a different kind and heading out to the garden. But if you’re a pet owner, those chemicals used for luscious roses or a weed-free lawn could hurt or even kill good ol’ Fido.

Dr. Jodi Branson, a veterinarian with All Creatures Animal Hospital, has witnessed several cases involving pesticides and insecticides this summer.

Dr. Branson says the main ingredient for danger in pesticides and insecticides is the family of organophosphates that can sometimes be found in mosquito repellents, flea products, wormers, slug bate, rat poisoning and on crops.

“Although they can be harmful to dogs, cats have a higher sensitivity toward organophosphates,” Dr. Branson said.

While pesticides such as rat poison are made to taste good, Dr. Branson said there are ways other than ingestion of a harmful, common lawn chemical that can injure a pet.

Flea and tick preventatives for dogs and cats can contain harmful ingredients if used improperly or purchased the wrong way.

Collars containing organophosphates and ingredients such as CHC’s or Amitraz can cause a loss of appetite or vomiting. Pyrethrins can be used in dog-intended flea products, but if used on cats can be extremely harmful, Dr. Branson said.

“When people buy flea medicine for a dog and think it’s OK to use on a cat, that can cause a lot of problems,” Dr. Branson said. “Also, when purchasing flea and tick preventatives at the store, you can’t always be sure of what is in them. They will be EPA approved, but not always FDA approved. If you purchase from a vet, they have been tested and approved.”

Another veterinarian in St. Joseph, Melanie Barnes with Countryside Veterinary Clinic, has also seen cases involving chemicals this summer.

“A majority of products these days can be bought pet safe,” Dr. Barnes said. “It’s a matter of reading the label.”

While many pesticides and insecticides can contain harmful ingredients, Dr. Branson says herbicides, if used properly, have few known problems. However, if ingested before fully allowed to dry, herbicides can cause vomiting.

If contact with a harmful chemical agent is suspected, Dr. Branson said bathing the pet immediately can help eliminate some of the danger. If after a bath the animal’s condition deteriorates, contact a veterinarian.

“In general, the No. 1 way owners can harm their pets with chemical products is by putting it on the animal, such as a flea collar,” Dr. Branson said. “Second would be the animal ingesting the product while outdoors, and last would be that they walk through it in the yard and then come inside and groom themselves.”

Megan Tilk can be reached

at megantilk@npgco.com.