Might Be a Pet Problem!
We love our pets. They’re part of the family. But they can wreak havoc on our lawns if we’re not careful. Why? Because pet urine contains salts, uric acid and nitrogen that can damage roots and leave yellow spots on your lawn.
While cat urine is chemically stronger than dog urine, it’s the amount of urine that is the issue, so our beloved four-legged friends are, well, in the dog house when it comes to urine spots on our lawns!
Facts:
- Pet urine is high in nitrogen. This concentrated nitrogen “burns” your lawn in the same way that too much fertilizer does. That’s why urine spots are often brown in the center, where the contact was greatest, and green around the edges, where the diluted urine acted as a fertilizer.
- It’s the nitrogen content that damages grass, not the acidity, so products designed to neutralize acid are ineffective.
- Supplements designed to alter the pH of your cat or dog’s urine not only don’t work, but they can also upset your pet’s biological balance and cause bladder infections.
- While there’s no real difference in male and female pet urine as far as plants are concerned, female cats and dogs often do the most damage to grass since they release their urine all at once in open areas of the yard. Male cats and dogs tend to “mark” trees, shrubs, and fences with small amounts of urine, which results in more dead garden plants.
Solutions:
- Water your lawn: The best way to reduce the damage to your lawn is to dilute the urine by saturating the spot with water immediately. By the way, this approach also works should you accidentally spill fertilizer on your yard, too.
- Water your pets: Make sure your cat or dog is well hydrated to dilute the strength of the urine. Adding some canned food, or moistening dry food with a little water, is another way to add water to their diet. Many dietary additives make your pet thirstier (usually by adding salt), leading to more water consumption. So there is no real magic there.
- Examine diet: Consult your vet to see if you are feeding your dog the right amount of protein. The nitrogen in urine comes from protein metabolism, and some dogs might benefit from a lower-protein diet. This is not something that should be undertaken without a vet’s analysis of your dog’s diet and lifestyle.
- Buy high-quality pet food: In general, higher-quality pet foods have higher-quality protein sources, which are more easily digestible and less likely to leave by-products in the urine.
- Train your dog: Train your dog to go in a designated space away from the main lawn. While this may sound like a daunting task, dogs really can be trained to go in specific places on command. Make sure the area has mulch or pea gravel that is easy to replace and keep clean. Of course, if you have a cat, you can try this method as well!
- Plant resistant grasses: Fescues and ryegrass are more resistant to urine burns than grasses like Kentucky bluegrass and Bermuda.
- Keep your lawn healthy: A healthy, well cared for lawn can withstand the occasional overdose of nitrogen better than a stressed lawn.
- Choose supplements carefully: Your local pet store likely has a variety of products claiming to bind and neutralize urine. Results are not proven on these products, and you should consult your vet to make sure they are safe before using. Generally, I feel it’s better to use solutions that work with biology and nature, rather than trying to alter it.
Want the Pros atProLawnto help?
Give us a call at540-662-8316 to determine the best course of action for your situation.
