Sevin dust is a popular brand of insecticide containing carbaryl. This has been a trusted product for gardeners to control insects in their gardens with crops and other edible fruits and vegetables.
Sevin dust claims to have low toxicity towards mammals including common household pets. But is that really the case? Read ahead as we find out whether sevin dust is safe for dogs, cats, birds, and other pets.
Is sevin dust safe for dogs?
Sevin dust is not safe for dogs. Although sevin dust will not hurt your dog badly, it will still cause some side effects if used directly. Sevin dust includes carbaryl which can poison your dog. To ensure that sevin dust will not harm your dog, you will need to follow the directions on the label.
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According to the packaging, sevin dust is safe for mammals. However, this insecticide contains a chemical called carbaryl. Carbaryl can be poisonous to dogs and cause several health effects.
The best way to ensure that sevin dust will not harm your dog is to follow the directions on the label of the package.
What to do if your dog gets into sevin dust?
If your dog gets into sevin dust, then look for any symptoms of sevin dust poisoning. Your dog acting differently than usual could also be an early-onset symptom of being poisoned.
Sevin dust consists of this synthetic chemical called carbaryl. When your dog gets into sevin dust, they are exposed to this chemical which can severely affect their nervous system.
The dust can enter the body through physical contact, ingestion, or inhalation.
So if you see your dog do any of the above-mentioned things with sevin dust, you should immediately take them to the vet.
Symptoms of sevin dust poisoning in dogs:
On top of the physical symptoms of sevin dust poisoning in dogs, there are neurological problems as well. As sevin dust is a carbamate, you will see changes in their mood and even depression.
Excessive salivation:
After ingesting something poisonous dogs tend to drool more. This is because the toxins cause irritation in their mouth.
Lacrimation (tears):
Lacrimation refers to a mucusy or watery eye discharge in dog eyes.
Vomiting:
Being toxic, sevin dust causes vomiting.
Urination and defecation:
The toxins affect their nervous system resulting in diarrhea and uncontrollable urination.
Muscle weakness:
Muscle weakness is accompanied by fatigue after contact.
How do I apply Sevin powder to my dog?
Applying sevin powder to a dog needs special attention. Check below to do it right.
Prepare the powder:
You will need to prepare a diluted sevin powder. It should only contain 5% sevin dust. For one tablespoon sevin powder, add fifteen tablespoons of flour.
You can substitute flour with cornstarch.
Mix the powder in a plastic bottle:
Add the sevin dust and flour into a plastic bottle. Close the cap and mix the powder well by shaking it. The bottle should be big enough to shake the mixture well.
Apply the powder by parting your dog’s hair:
Part their hair with one hand and drop the powder from the bottle.
Spread the powder into other areas:
Apply the powder to other areas and spread it.
Is sevin dust safe for cats?
Sevin dust is safe for cats only if you use the product consciously. Sevin dust contains a chemical called carbaryl. Cats are less sensitive to this chemical, making it safe for them to use sevin dust. Before using sevin dust for cats consult your doctor.
You can use sevin dust on your cats to get rid of fleas. Cats are more sensitive to insecticides containing pyrethrins. However, the chemicals in sevin dust can be tolerated by cats.
Before you use sevin dust on your cat, consult with a vet and make sure to follow safety standards.
Can you put sevin dust on kittens?
Yes, you can put sevin dust on kittens. However, the kitten should be older than 4 weeks for safety reasons.
Sevin dust contains chemicals like naphthyl, carbaryl, and methylcarbamate. These chemicals can be harmful to the kitten as they are neurotoxins. As such, you should only put sevin dust on kittens with a vet present.
How to use sevin dust for cats with fleas?
Sevin dust can be used on cats to remove fleas. But one must ensure the right process to do it. Check below to know more.
Shampoo your cat:
Shampoo your cat with a mild and safe flea shampoo. Lather up the shampoo and leave it in for at least 5 minutes. Thoroughly rinse with water and towel dry the cat.
You can also use dish soap as a substitute for flea shampoo as well. Just run it by your vet to make sure it is safe for cats.
Comb with a flea comb:
Using a smooth-tooth flea comb, brush through your cat’s fur. Extract any flea that you might find.
Massage sevin dust:
Wear a pair of rubber gloves and massage small amounts of sevin dust into the coat.
Is sevin dust safe for birds?
Sevin dust is not safe for birds. Although sevin dust is not toxic to birds, it will affect their nervous system. While the effect on large birds is not as severe, small birds pose significant risks to sevin dust. Their nervous system is affected after contact with sevin dust.
Sevin dust is not safe for birds. It contains a chemical called carbaryl. This chemical is extremely toxic and harmful for small birds but not as much for large birds like geese, quail, ducks, and pheasants.
Carbaryl will attack the bird’s nervous system affecting its ability to perform basic tasks.
Will Sevin dust keep birds away?
Sevin dust is not a bird repellent. As such, using sevin dust to keep birds away from your garden or home will not work.
Sevin dust is intended to be used as a pesticide. It contains an active chemical called carbaryl.
The ingredient will keep insects like ants, beetles, bugs, and more out. They are mostly used in vegetable and fruit gardens, shrubs, lawns, ornamentals, and flowers.
While sevin dust is not a bird repellent, it is also very toxic for birds. The contents of the product can directly affect the birds’ nervous system so much that they may not be able to perform daily tasks.
The effects of sevin insecticide on birds:
As mentioned above, sevin dust is an insecticide that affects the bird’s nervous system. As a result, they have the following effects.
Inability to fly:
Sevin insecticide weakens birds’ muscles and impacts their nerves. As such, they are unable to fly. Birds solely rely on flying to travel and gather food.
Inability to fly will eventually lead to the end of their life.
Inability to mate:
The nerves related to reproduction can also be affected. This would lead to a bird being unable to mate with another bird.
Inability to raise their young:
If the bird already has a young one, they may not be able to raise them.
Is sevin dust safe for other pets?
Sevin dust is safe for other pets. As long as you follow the instructions on the packaging, sevin dust will not harm your pets. However, if you are using sevin dust on your pet, make sure to consult a vet beforehand. Because high amounts of sevin can be toxic for the pet.
Will Sevin harm pets?
Sevin is safe for pets according to the label on the packaging. However, it can be more toxic for some animals than others.
For instance, sevin is more harmful to birds and dogs than cats. It can directly affect their nervous system or poison them. There might also be long-term health effects as well.
What pets have a threat from sevin dust?
There are multiple mammals that hold threat from sevin dust. Check the given list below to be extra careful with your pets.
Dog:
Sevin dust is toxic for dogs. Physical contact, ingestion, and inhalation of sevin dust can result in carbaryl poisoning in dogs.
Sevin dust poisoning in dogs has physical symptoms like excessive salivation, lacrimation, vomiting, muscle weakness, and diarrhea.
There can also be neurological side effects as well. Anxiety and depression are common among dogs who have been exposed to sevin dust.
Bird:
Sevin dust attacks the nervous system of birds. While smaller birds are more at risk of being harmed by sevin dust, there are long-lasting effects for both.
Birds might lose the ability to fly, mate, and raise their young. There are also cases of birds getting sick after being in contact with sevin dust.
Fish:
Sevin dust is highly toxic for fish and shrimp. When carbaryl breaks down it affects the fish’s hormone system.
This can cause problems when the fish wants to mate. The number of eggs laid can also decrease.
How to safely use sevin dust?
Applying the sevin dust on clam days is the best way to do it. This way, you can keep them in place and stop unwanted poisoning to your pets.
Besides, it is best to consult a vet before using sevin dust on your pet. Make sure to follow instructions and wear a glove.
This way, you will be able to keep your pet safe and remove the unwanted insects using sevin dust in the required area.
Final Thoughts
Sevin dust is safe to use on cats. However, using sevin dust on dogs and birds is advised against. There can be several health effects if dogs and birds are exposed to sevin dust. Other pets like fish are also at high risk of being affected by sevin dust.