All Photos Courtesy of Lisa Hardin Mauldin
Hiding In Plain Sight
A widely used herbicide known as 2,4-D is an ingredient in over 1,500 types of weed killer sold in the United States. To be more specific it is 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. It’s a hidden danger to pets and people. It hides in plain sight, listed as an ingredient on herbicide containers and nobody thinks anything about it. It’s widely used as a spray on cereal crops, pastures and orchards. We eat the products sprayed with this terrible chemical. The World Health Organization doesn’t seem too worried, putting the threat in the same category as cancer from coffee and red meat. However their study is based on insufficient evidence in humans and limited evidence in experimental animals.
2,4-D Was Mixed With Dioxin to Create Agent Orange
This same ingredient was half of the lethal mixture, along with the banned Dioxin in the infamous herbicide known as Agent Orange, used to kill jungle foliage during the Vietnam War. The results of that on our troops returning home should tell us something. They weren’t told that it was dangerous and thousands came home from that war and developed cancers of all kinds. The planes who sprayed the herbicide sprayed it where they were told to spray it, without knowledge of American troops presence. As for the soldiers, they were never told it was a dangerous substance, they only knew it helped to eliminate hiding places for the enemy. Some were even heard to say it was refreshing and helped to cool them off from the heat of the jungle. Soldiers sometinmes found themselves wet with it, not once, but several times. They also didn’t know that the mere handling of objects covered with it was also dangerous. After the war, an extraordinary number of troops who had served in Vietnam during the herbicidal sprays developed testicular cancer, pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, and various types of lymphoma. They began to realize there was a common denominator and they or their families fought the government to consider it a “service connected disability.” Eventually the government agreed in the face of overwhelming proof, but some men never lived to see it finally accepted as such. The government blamed it all on Dioxin, which the government removed and banned from use. But its partner in crime, 2,4-D is still in use in almost every brand of weed killer.
Happy, healthy Farrah in 2013 at Pioche Dog Show
My Granddog, Farrah
Perhaps you’re wondering why I have a photo of a dog at the top of this article. Here’s why: we have reasons to believe a dog in our family has a terrible, incurable disease from contact with 2, 4-D. My granddog Farrah, shown in this article, loves bathing in the sun in the grass. She will turn over on her back and wiggle and squirm and just enjoy being on the warm ground. She’s a fun dog, loves to play and has a great personality. She’s beautiful too and won a prize in a dog show in Pioche, NV for her beautiful, amber colored eyes.
Farrah is now in misery
A few months ago my daughter Lisa noticed that she was doing a lot of scratching. She’s a mostly white, slick coated dog, not a lot of fur. If you knew my daughter, you’d know she doesn’t tolerate critters like fleas and ticks on her dogs, Farrah and Elsie. She bathes them regularly and always keeps an eye out for any kind of bug that might become attached. She started searching Farrah’s white fur and found nothing. Because she bathes them so regularly she thought maybe it was dry skin. Skipping a bath wouldn’t hurt, as long as Farrah had no bugs of any sort on her, so she did without one. But still the itching continued so Lisa thought maybe it was allergies. Under her usual vet’s orders she began giving her Benadryl which made Farrah drowsy, but she still scratched. She also had diarrhea and vomited a few times, but the vomiting was laid to eating too fast, and the diarrhea was thought to be from the Benadryl. Finally one day Lisa spotted a growth on the dog, just a small one and she thought “well, nothing serious, just one of those things dogs get sometimes.” But in a day or two there were more and then they began popping up all over her. Overnight and every day there were more and they itched terribly. She also began to have trouble breathing. Lisa took her to her regular vet who would not do a biopsy under local anesthesia and did not want to put her under general anesthesia to do one. Each day the growths increased and Lisa then took Farrah to another vet who did a biopsy under local anesthesia on the growths. When the results came back, we were all stunned. The result is my granddog Farrah is now slowly dying from canine cutaneous lymphoma, caused by exposure to chemicals. Her body is covered with tumors, more of them every day, no place on her body is safe, they’re in her anus and her vulva, even beginning to grow in her eyes. They itch terribly and there is no hopeful prognosis for her. Her spleen is swollen and hardened, her blood count is low and the doctor says she probably has the tumors all through her body. We are angry about the chemicals. Although we can’t prove it, we believe the exposure to these weed killers caused this. If you check some of the links I’ve given below and read the parts about Canine Cutaneous Lymphoma, you will understand. There are many types of lymphoma in dogs and humans including multicentric, mediastinal, gastrointestinal, and the rarest, which Farrah has, is cutaneous lymphoma. Today, May 24th, Farrah was euthanized. Lisa and I are devastated of course, but it’s the right thing to do for Farrah.
List of ingredients on Trimec weed killer. Note that 2,4-D is the largest percentage ACTIVE ingredient in the weed killer. Photo courtesy of Lisa Hardin Mauldin.
“Safe For Pets and People Once It Dries” Really?
According to the instructions on the bottle of the herbicides which were used it says, “Safe for pets and people once it dries.” The container states what precautions people who are applying the herbicide should take; including wearing chemical resistant rubber gloves, long sleeve shirt, respirator mask, closed toe shoes, etc. Nobody I’ve ever seen spraying herbicide wears does any of this and it begs the question, if they need to do all that, should they even be using it? I’m horrified that this stuff is still sold and used nationwide. I don’t believe for one minute that it’s safe for pets and people once it dries.
Farrah, showing some of the effects
of Canine Cutaneous Lymphoma, May 2016
cutaneous lymphoma lesions spreading on Farrah, more every day
Each day the lesions increase. They itch, she scratches and they bleed.
What About The Great-Grandkids?
If that isn’t enough, what about my great-grandchildren who love to play outside in the yard, in the grass at their Grammy Lisa’s house? The hidden danger of 2,4-D is that no one realizes this chemical is so dangerous. Lisa’s home is in the state of Oklahoma, where weeds are rampant and many people spray their yards and their crops with weed killer. Because there are plenty of other states like Oklahoma who are overrun with weeds every summer, there are probably lots of places spraying these weed killers that contain this chemical, 2,4-D. Why is this dangerous substance still in use in our nation? Because it does what it does so efficiently, that’s why. And every store sells it because … it sells!! So when someone from a neighboring yard sprays this herbicide and the wind is blowing just right, anyone or anything outside at that time gets a dose of 2,4-D without even knowing it. The residue is still on everything it touches, and goes into our soil and seeps into our ground water. So not only do we need to be concerned for it in the air, but also for contaminating well water in the rural areas. Beware, this hidden danger to people and pets should never be used again. So far my great-grandchildren are fine, but we do not know what effect it will have in the future.
Contrary To The World Health Organization’s Findings
2,4-D IS a dangerous chemical all by itself. Here is a link for some, but not all, brand names that contain this killer chemical. Note that there are 12 pages of these brand names listed.
A List of Common Pesticide Products Containing 2, 4-D
For more information on the effects of 2, 4-D, here are websites you might be interested in researching:
Purdue University on Canine Lymphoma
Toxicological Effects on Humans and Animals
Fact Sheet on Effects on Dogs and Cats
Oregon State University Fact Sheet
Overview of Canine Cutaneous Lymphoma and its Causes
Looking for a homemade weed killer recipe? Try Vinegar, but be careful which plants get it, because they too will die. However vinegar is not dangerous to anything that walks, crawls, creeps or swims. Check out this link for a weed killer suggested by HGTV, which uses vinegar, salt and liquid dish soap. None of those things will kill people or animals.
Senseless your family’s loss of Farrah! I shudder every time I see or hear of someone spraying or spreading chemicals on nearby lawns. My dog Valentino enjoys a good roll in the grass and it pains me to think one roll could cause his last breath.
Ruth yes! It was senseless and we still grieve her passing. She was such a good girl and we loved her so much. This spraying of chemicals around our pets and children must stop! The harm it’s doing is irreparable, taking away those we love. I do hope Monsanto and other manufacturers of this stuff will be made to quit making it. As long as it’s on the market, people will buy and use it, regardless of what is said about it. Hurts me to my soul! Thank you my friend! Love you, 🙂
So sad. Farrahwas an awesome dog. We will miss her. Rest in peace Miss Farrah. 😞
Yes she was, and a good girl too. Thanks Becky for reading my story. 🙂 <3
I am so very ,very sorry to hear of the loss of lovely Farrah and under such distressing circumstances. My heart goes out to you and your family. She was clearly a much loved and cared for member of the family. I do hope that by you writing this post and sharing your experience, people will become more aware and it may hopefully save further distress.
Thanks so much my friend, for the visit and the comment. We are devastated with her loss, but if anything can give us any comfort, it would be if what I wrote saves even one child or one pet. We need to be aware that our government does not protect us from this sort of danger. WE need to take a more proactive role in checking the chemicals that we use for anything and not accept the “It’s safe” from the government. What a horror my granddog and my daughter had to live through. Farrah is at rest, but Lisa will remember this forever. She also has another dog, Elsie, that she’s keeping a sharp eye on.
I am heartbroken for you in the loss of poor, sweet Farrah. Thank you for including links with further information. We all need to be extra careful with our pets and, indeed, our children and grandchildren when it comes to dangers such as these. Appreciate that you’re doing your part to get the word out about these dangerous chemicals.
Susan, thanks my friend for your visits and comments. If even one child or one pet is saved from this horror that Farrah went through, her death will not have been in vain. We miss her greatly; she was a good, obedient, playful, loving dog, and great part of our family. We will always miss her. 🙂 <3
I was so very sorry to read about your precious granddog. How awful that the little sweetie had to suffer so. Reading the information here is very scary. You are quite right. There is nothing we can do to stop neighbors from using any weed killers or chemicals on their yards even if we prohibit them in our yards. We live in a very false state of security when we think it must be okay if it is sold. We have all made that mistake. I feel awful for Lisa too. It is very clear she takes excellent care of her pets. It is an excellent example of how we can do everything right and something will still creep in and do harm. I am deeply sorry for all of you.
Thanks Cynthia, it really is a terrible thing when you can’t trust your own government not to allow harmful chemicals in the things we use regularly. Yes, we do have to be proactive, and search out the bad substances. But wouldn’t you think a nation who cares about their people’s welfare, would have stopped this stuff long ago? Farrah was a beautiful, exceptional dog. She was so loving and so good. There will never be another like her and it’s very sad for our family. Thanks for your visit and comment. 🙂 <3
I’m so sorry to hear of this distressing time in your lives and my heart feels your loss. I agree weedkillers are dangerous and should be used with care – if at all. You mention both pets and children being at risk and for those chemicals used on gardens and yards these two groups are most likely the most at risk. But the other thing to think about is that chemical weedkillers are used on crops across the country, which means the potential toxins are getting into the food chain as well, be it in foodstuffs that are directly used for humans, or those that are grown and fed to livestock, such as pigs and then used perhaps in processed foods. Yes, governments have responsibility to look after their people, but we consumers also have the power to change our homes and our lives. It’s awful stories like this that cast doubt and are shared that should bring all of us up short and move us into action; even if it’s only by not buying weedkiller or changing the way we shop. I’m thinking of you all at this time of great sadness but hope that in sharing your story things will change…
Yes, we DO have a responsibility to monitor what substances with which we, our family and our pets come in contact. The unfortunate thing is that we’re so used to our watchdog agencies telling us what’s good and not good for us, that we accept their word. We need to be more proactive about researching the chemicals with which we come in contact BEFORE we ever use them. But wouldn’t you think that a nation that cares about its people would at least make an effort not to allow harmful substances that could cause us medical conditions? And yes, 2,4-D is widely used on cereal crops, pastures and orchards, there are actually 3 food sources right there. Because our cows, pigs and lambs are susceptible to this dangerous chemical, and our cereal grains and fruit are too. If they allow this use that is taken into our bodies, what else do they allow? It’s a scary thought and a truly unsettling question. Thanks for your visit and comment. 🙂 <3
Nancy you’re so right that we blindly accept what our agencies say because we do believe they have our best interests at heart, unfortunately this doesn’t seem to be the case and big business; big corporations and big pharmaceuticals, seem to have a bigger influence over these agencies than their moral interest to protect us, which is extremely sad. We should all be so aware of this and be proactive as you say, and yes, what else do they allow? There’s very interesting material out there if you can find it. I know I’ll only have scratched the surface with what I’ve looked into. It is all very unsettling and disturbing… Hopefully a few more of us will be aware now due to your article. Good luck. I’m behind you on this. 🙂 And I’m still very sorry for your family’s loss.
You’re so right, we have to look out for ourselves and not leave it to a government that’s too involved with these companies. Thanks DreyaB, appreciate the comment very much!
I am so sorry for your loss but I thank you for sharing this. My dog is an inside dog. Things like this are the reason why. I don’t let her go out of my yard.
Brenda, be cautious about what’s going on in the yards and fields around where you are. Spray can drift on a windy day and contaminate your baby if she’s outside at the time. Also, even if it’s dry, I don’t believe it’s harmless, I think the possibility of it affecting a dog or child is still there. There are over 1,500 of these herbicides on the market. At any give time there are millions of people using it. Some dogs are also not as susceptible to it as others, so there’s that too. Farrah had very little hair and loved to wallow in the grass. 🙁 Thanks for your visit and comment, it’s appreciated. 🙂 <3
Sorry your grand pooch has past away. I am glad I do not use one of those weed killers on my lawn. Drive the neighbors mad because of my dandelions and purple flowers through out my yard.
Glad you wrote this post to let others know of the dangers that can be lurking in their lawn.
This is good for all pet owners to read about. Sorry about the loss of Farrah.
Sandy, thank you. It’s been hard on all the family. Farrah was well loved, and we hated to lose her. But it had to be done for her own good, she was miserable with the itchiness and it was affecting her blood cells and her breathing. We had to make a tough decision, but we had to do it for her sake. Thanks my friend, 🙂 <3
Sandy, the horrible part about it is that herbicide can drift on the breeze into your yard from a neighbor, or from a field that’s being sprayed with it. It’s used on our cereals, orchards, and pastures. It’s very popular because it kills weeds so efficiently. Nobody wants to take the time to mix up a vinegar spray, but if it saves a child or a pet, isn’t it worth it? I think so. We just need to spread this word to everyone who uses this stuff. Thanks for your comment and visit, my friend. 🙂 <3
Oh dear. I’m so terribly sorry for the torment this poor creature had to endure from this poison. Thank you for raising awareness of this danger to our children and pets. My dogs like to roll in the grass and even eat the big chunks after we mow. I haven’t used pesticide in years but I remember spraying the yard for fleas many years back with a product that said, “harmless to pets” once it dries. Agent Orange, GMOs, one and the same. My deep condolences to you and your family on the loss of your baby..
Peg, thank you so much for the visit and comment. The bad thing is there can be “drift” from someone else using these herbicides and there’s no way to prevent that. We were told by the vet when we asked about cause of this terrible condition, that most of the time it is caused by exposure to chemicals. Of all the lymphoma varieties, cutaneous is by far the rarest. But our baby loved the sun and the grass and the yard. Nobody ever thought there was any harm there for her. I hope that others see this article and stop using these harmful weed killers. Thanks again, my friend. 🙂 <3