Read This Before Landscaping This Spring; Your Pets Will Thank You

When you spruce up your yard for spring, remember that landscaping aids that make your plants healthy can make your pets real sick.

In a Dailycamera.com post, veterinarian Jennifer Bolser says the following landscaping staples can harm your pets:

• Cocoa mulch: Contains theobromine, the chemical in chocolate that poisons dogs.

• Fertilizers and herbicides: Can irritate pet skin, pads, tongues, and gums.

• Compost: Ingesting coffee grinds and onions in compost piles can make pets ill.

• Metal lawn edging: Can cut pets who walk on it.

To keep your plants and pets healthy, store chemicals in pet-proof containers, enclose compost piles in bins and drums, and choose plastic or rubber edging.