4

I have a field behind me and my neighbor is throwing his grass clippings in the field for years, ( the grass is treated with chemicals) I have 2 Doberman and they tend to go over and scratch the top of the pile and eat this grass ( I'm always yelling at them for the fear that this is very bad for them) At what time do these chemicals leave this pile or do I have to take other matters to get my animals not to eat this grass. Very concerned about my dogs. I have one now with bone cancer under her chin which I hope is not my fault from this grass.

5
  • 1
    Hard to say without knowing which chemicals your neighbour uses - any idea what products involved? Are the grass clippings from an ordinary lawn - and what type of grass?
    – Bamboo
    Mar 24, 2015 at 15:15
  • I'll dig deeper to find out this info.
    – Suzanne
    Mar 24, 2015 at 16:03
  • 1
    @Suzanne It does depend on the chemical, but generally, the chemicals disappear faster once they actually contact soil, usually after the clippings decompose. Many chemicals can still linger in the soil for years. This might be relevant, as it covers several common lawn treatments: pets.stackexchange.com/questions/6382/…
    – J. Musser
    Mar 24, 2015 at 16:21
  • 1
    Dogs eating grass isn't bad, they do it when they have upset stomachs. Plus decomposing grass probably has all sorts of smelly good things in it that a doberman likes. Chances are your dogs cancer is not from the grass or chemicals but from genetics and breeding.
    – nportelli
    Mar 25, 2015 at 14:34
  • More important than pesticides in grass clippings... would be GMO corn. Or GMO anything. Lots of dog food has lots of corn. Look it up online to see rats that are fed this stuff! And start thinking about what it is YOU are eating...they actually change the plant's genome so that the plant makes its own pesticides. Healthy bodies (human, dogs...) take care of cancer that is happening all the time in all bodies. When the body becomes unhealthy or we take in toxic chemicals, cancer can take hold. thetruthaboutcancer.com/spring15/episode1 Check out this link!
    – stormy
    Mar 31, 2015 at 22:21

2 Answers 2

2

Each herbicide has a unique half life. They are organic and will break down over time. If you know the herbicide being used, you can read a lot of good information about its toxicity in the MSDA (material data safety sheet). You can also call the manufacturer and ask about the half life.

The easiest thing to do is to add a thin layer of soil on top of the grass clippings and then layer dried plant debris over that, making a nice compost "lasagna". Grass clippings break down very quickly in this situation-maybe just a few days. Your dogs won't want to dig through all the layers to get to the fresh clippings. If you leave the layers to compost, you can let the herbicide break down over time.

0

Most things that people put on their grass won't hurt dogs. However, them eating grass is an indicator that they are not feeling well. What type of food do they eat?

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.