Cherries keep falling on my Lab...

[Yay Chicks!]

So, our next door neighbor has this huge, old cherry tree very close to the property line (he's a renter...I don't know the owner). The cherries are small and tart but the birds love them, as does my Lab. We've been here about three and a half years and it hasn't been an issue. She just poops the pits out. Today, however, I had to take her to the vet after she upchucked her dinner and breakfast (along with more cherry pits). Thankfully, he didn't think it was a blockage and sent me home with some lubricant. I'm also having to put her on a leash and accompany her during her potty breaks to make certain she is pooping and not eating more cherries.

My partner is presently attempting to hang a tarp to catch, at least some, of the cherries that fall and is cutting a few of the branches within reach. Unfortunately, the tree is way too tall to affect most of the crop.

I'm not worried about the amount of cyanide in the pits as she swallows them whole...but bowel obstructions I worry about.

Ever had this kind of issue with your dogs? How did you resolve it?

 

[debilorrah]

Best practice: No fruit seeds for any animal. Apple seeds are bad for the birds, cherry pits are toxic for dogs and cats. All different kinds of seeds are very dangerous for various animals.

I didh ave an issue with a dog who managed to eat an entire 5 lb box of chocolate. That was an expensive lesson.

 

[franklinchickens]

Not that this will help with the particular dog eating other stuff (I have a Lab that eats about anything that doesn't move) but a consideration may be to run a line of temporary fencing around the area where the cherries fall until the season is over. We've done that with our blackberry bushes to keep the hens out and around the daylilies we just planted. Not the prettiest but it is working on not only keeping the hens out but in keeping our lab from trampling everything when she chases her ball.
We used 1 x 2 galvanized fencing we had laying around that worked really well. Hope your dog is well!

 

[Yay Chicks!]

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That's a really great idea. Unfortunately, it won't work in this particular area just because of the way the house, the permanent fencing and a shed kind of cut up that area...but it's an excellent idea. We did manage to hang some sheets of plastic from roof to roof and to the fence which may help a bit with the falling fruit. We shall see.

On a good note...I fed a mild pumpkin and rice dinner to the Lab tonight. She kept it down (so far) and had a normal poop. Yay.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I use a runner for my Lab (the kind you set up between two trees so they can run back and forth between them). He's a wanderer, and really enjoys looking for treats the chickens leave behind in the yard while they free range. Maybe you could set one up in a different location? Good luck!

 

[Kudzu]

Your dog will not have to worry about getting the gout.

 

[Yay Chicks!]

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[Yay Chicks!]

Well, she seems totally fine today. The cure seems to be spending money at the vet's

. Hopefully our makeshift plastic cherry catcher will work somewhat and I will keep a closer eye on her. Thanks for your input!