Metal Lawn Edging and Your Dog

Our friend's paws are important pieces of anatomy.  Think of all they do with them..  walk, play.. and, of course, the polite hand shake they give us to remind us how awesome they know we are.  I've been seeing a fair amount of pups with bloody, horrible paw lacerations as of late, and they are being caused by stepping onto the sharp, metal lawn edgings we add to our yards to make them look so nice.

I think short of first hand experience, there are many things in our homes which can cause injury to our pets.  On the whole, most owners just don't think of it until something happens.  Lawn edging, for example, could have pre-dated your move in and it wasn't something you thought too much about.   Additionally, perhaps it seems that your dog doesn't ever seem to play where the sharp edges threaten their paws.

There are several things we need to consider when we own dogs.  If I own anti-freeze, where is it kept?  If I am unsure if the previous tenants used rat poison, shouldn't I check to make sure it's gone?  Add to that list.. If I have lawn edging, is it metal, and if so, is it where my pup may accidentally step on it one day?

While I have never personally seen a lawn edging laceration that was "life or death", they are all bloody, deep, and may likely take a lot on your part to manage it's healing.  When you show up to your doc to fix the bloody paw, you are likely looking at sedatives, pain management, anti-biotics, and stitches to close the wound.  Your friend's paw will need to be wrapped and protected while it heals, and based on the severity, this could take time.  Let us not forget about the "cone of shame" your pup will have to most likely wear in order to prevent chewing.

I don't know a ton about lawn care and accessories, but I know there are alternatives to the metal edging.  There are covers you can put over the metal, and there are also other edgings such as brick.  If you have a pup at home, consider your lawn and the threat to his precious paws.  It also doesn't hurt to consider the tender, bare feet of children at play while you're at it!