Q: I recently heard that lawn chemicals can cause cancer. We spray for fleas and ticks every few months but otherwise leave the grass alone. Is it unsafe to keep letting our pets out on the lawn?

A: Meticulously manicured lawns, which almost inevitably mean pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers, are one of South Florida's dubious delights. Even if your lawn is free of these agents, your neighbors' likely aren't.

Most commercial lawn care chemicals have been used for years around pets, and conventional wisdom is that they are very likely safe as long as they're used according to label instructions.

``Make sure your pets do not go on lawns or in gardens treated with fertilizers, herbicides or insecticides until the time listed on the label by the manufacturer,'' the ASPCA's poison control website advises. ``If you are uncertain about the usage of any product, contact the manufacturer for clarification before using it.''

Nonetheless, both the National Cancer Institute and Purdue University have correlated some pesticides with lymphoma and bladder cancer in dogs. A 1988 study in Preventive Veterinary Medicine found a connection between lawn pesticides and hyperthyroidism in cats. And the World Health Organization has linked some lawn insecticides to liver problems in dogs.

How do we reconcile our pets' need for parasite relief with lawn-chemical exposure? My advice is to use treatments that are applied directly to your pet rather than to the lawn and to use them only when you really need them.

Dr. Patty Khuly has a veterinary practice in South Miami and blogs at www.dolittler.com. Send questions to khulyp@bellsouth.net, or Dr. Dolittler, Tropical Life, The Miami Herald, 1 Herald Plaza, Miami, FL 33132.

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