So, what is glyphosate, where will I find it, what will it do to my pet, and what do I need to do if poisoning occurs?

Glyphosate is a non-selective systemic herbicide that is applied to plant foliage as a herbicide commonly found in Roundup and other similar products.

Poisoning can occur through inhalation and absorption, but the main reason for poisoning is through ingestion of the product containing glyphosate.

In the unfortunate event your pet experiences glyphosate poisoning, initially the clinical signs appear within 30 minutes to 2 hours following ingestion. Your pet may display lethargy, hypersalivation, vomiting and diarrhoea. These symptoms usually persist for between 2 and 24 hours following exposure. Other signs of glyphosate poisoning are that your pet may exhibit excitability and have a fast heart rate, followed by a loss of control of its body movement, depression, and a slow heart rate. If the poisoning is severe enough, your pet may collapse and start convulsing.

If your pet displays any of these signs or symptoms, it is an emergency, and you need to contact your veterinarian ASAP. When leaving and heading to the veterinary clinic, please bring the suspect container causing the poisoning with you.

As with most things, prevention is always better, so if you are looking at buying products to use around your house to control your weeds, read the product label and go for one that is safe for use around animals and always read and follow the instructions on the herbicide before use.

If you would like more information regarding this, please see the following websites.

Round-up and Glyphosate

Round-up and Glyphosate alternatives