Hops: Fine for Some Pets, Dangerous to Others

Hi everyone. 

April at our farm is ending pretty much like it began, cold and wet. But there are a few new additions that will brighten up the place in the months ahead. First, meet Fern: 

Don't worry. I didn't let her drink the whole thing. And although she liked the idea of a pint of Bell's Smitten, we all know giving beer to dogs probably isn't a good idea. But what about hops? Most dog owners know that chocolate can be dangerous, as can avocados. Fortunately, those two things rarely go together. But both alcohol and hops are plentiful in Wisconsin, particularly on a hop farm. Puppies experience the world with their mouths — biting, chewing and licking anything that crosses the path between it's nose and the rest of the world. Right now, Fern is partial to deer feces and leftover cat food, neither of which is particularly harmful. But once the bines start producing, we'll be taking every step we can to keep her out of the yard. 

That's because ingesting hops, whole and pelletized, can cause hyperthermia in dogs. The rapid increase in body temperature can damage the animal's organs and lead to death without a prompt visit to a veterinarian. Hop growers and home brewers should watch for restlessness, excessive panting, seizures and muscle tremors. Here is a good explanation of the dangers. 

If you live in the River Falls and Hudson areas of Wisconsin, or the Twin Cities, a good number to keep handy is the Animal Emergency & Referral Center of Minnesota. They have a 24-hour emergency room in Oakdale (651) 501-3766, and an office in St. Paul (651) 293-1800 that keeps regular hours. 

In other news, we added 20 new chickens to our flock in April. The birds, which are tanning under the red glow of our heat lamps right now, are going to work as pest control for our field. It's yet another reason we'll be investing in some quality fencing around the hop yard. Dogs and deer out, chickens and farmers in. Here's a short video of the chicks. They are currently living in a kiddie pool on our kitchen table: 

Thanks for reading. Our rhizomes arrive real soon. I'll update then. 

Cheers!