Here at Green Pets in Birmingham, I teach wellness and fill in a lot of important areas, that many veterinarians miss.  Nothing can be more applicable than the horrific fallout of pesticide intoxication and its effects on humans and pets! 

 It seems obvious to me, we see the signs they put on lawns-it’s clear but some how we think the poisons just magically disappear or fade in the sun. Go, they do but where?  Into our earth, ground water and air!

Let’s look at our pets and children-they are closer to the ground and smaller.  This alone makes them much more sensitive and susceptible to the effects of lawn pesticides, weed and feed, etc.  

As a naturopath doctor I have made friends with the dandelions, which are not weeds but beautiful herbs that provide iron, bio-nutrients and an excellent detoxification!  I am surprised to see dandelion greens for sale in the refrigerated vegetable section at Whole Foods-thinking, with all these millions of dandelions on every lawn, why are we buying something that conveniently grows on our front lawn!  I often see my dog rolling around in them and nibbling on them. 

Yes, pets innately know how to help and heal themselves and so do humans…however, because of our early childhood conditioning it is difficult for us to *see what we essentially already know.

I remember ten years ago when living out by Ann Arbor reading a story in the local paper about a man that kept throwing a ball in a lake in Fenton, MI for his dog to fetch, later that dog died from pesticide intoxication from lawn chemicals leaching into the lake.  I was surprised that the article did not get national attention. Years after I went back to find the article and it was gone (not surprisingly!).

I am delighted to see more and more people looking for alternative ways to tend to their lawns, I myself, after studying so many years in Portland, OR have become a big believer in the make food not lawns movement and hope to see it catch on in Michigan some time soon.  But until that happens, take a look at the statistics below and ask yourself if your perfect lawn is worth you or your pets life and if possibly some of your or your pets illnesses could be related to this chemical epidemic.

Lawn Chemicals and Their Effects on Humans and Pets

They include more than just fertilizers. Chemicals that kill weeds, insects and a variety of diseases are sold separately and in combination with fertilizers such as ‘weed and feed’. These formulations may include organophosphates, carbamates, phenoxy and benzoic acid herbicides like 2,4 D, MCPP, and MCPA, pyrethroids and organchlorines.Do lawn care chemicals pose a health threat to my family?

Yes. Pesticides used in controlling weeds, insects, etc., are toxic. These chemicals have been created to kill pests and most are broad-spectrum biocides. This means they are poisonous to a wide variety of living organisms, including garden plants, wildlife, pets, your neighbors, your family and you.

Inert ingredients, which may comprise 50 to 99% of a pesticide formula may actually be more toxic than the active ingredients.

Of 30 commonly used lawn pesticides, 19 are linked with cancer or carcinogenicity, 13 are linked with birth defects, 21 with reproductive effects, 26 with liver or kidney damage, 15 with neurotoxicity, and 11 with disruption of the endocrine (hormonal) system. Of those same pesticides, 17 are detected in groundwater, 23 have the ability to leach into drinking water sources, 24 are toxic to fish and other aquatic organisms vital to our ecosystem, 11 are toxic to bees, and 16 are toxic to birds.

– See more at: http://learn.eartheasy.com/2009/01/lawn-care-chemicals-how-toxic-are-they/#sthash.9dBMkAtt.dpuf

Do you have a pet or human that needs help?  Dr. Aurore is not a vet, but an ayurvedic naturopath that offers simple solutions to balance your health!  Read her books on natural health, listen to her radio show or contact her below for a web or in-person appointment!