April Showers Bring May Flowers

As we are all so excited for spring it is very important to be aware of the environmental hazards that come with it. There are many plants and pesticides that can be in the home or back yard that are infamously poisonous to cats and dogs. Easter Lilies are among the most poisonous plant for cats. So for the men out there, if you plan to impress your lady with flowers avoid picking lilies. After a cat eats a few leaves from the Easter lily plant they can experience renal failure within two to three days.

Unfortunately, dogs tend show up more often at the vet’s office due to their strong curiosity to explore. Amaryllis tends to be the most common toxic flower of choice. The bulb of the flower produces the most toxins and can cause significant gastrointestinal irritation as well as liver and kidney damage. Another common toxic plant is the Azalea plant. The leaves and flower buds are the most toxic part of the plant. Symptoms of toxicity would include vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, weakness of the central nervous system, and can ultimately lead to coma and death. Another important fact to remember with dogs is that they do like to munch on grass, so avoid unknown environments where the grass could have been treated with chemicals.

The most common symptoms of plant toxicity in a dog or cat include irritation of the skin, vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, lethargy, and loss of appetite. In extreme cases symptoms can include severe seizures, coma, paralysis, and even death. There are many ornamental plants that can bring beauty and enjoyment into our home but can be very harmful to our pets. Please go to the OVMA (Oregon Veterinary Medical Association) website for a complete list of plants that are toxic to cats and dogs.
(http://oregonvma.org/care-health/poisonous-plants )

Another important item to be aware of is gardening products. Products like fertilizers, insecticides, and snail bait are extremely toxic to animals. If your pet consumes any of these gardening products they can experience symptoms from vomiting and diarrhea to tremors, seizures, and even death. The best thing to do if you plan to use any type of fertilizer is to wait 12-24 hours to let your animals back into the environment so that it can be completely dry. Avoid letting animals into any environment where they could find snail bait, rat poison, or insecticide.

Tips for the pet loving gardener…

• Never assume your pet will not eat the plant.
• Be aware of the scientific names so that in the event that they do decide to munch on a plant, you can call poison control and tell them exactly which plant they have eaten.
• Toxic plant lists do not always include local species of plants.
• Avoid toxic gardening products.
• If you believe your pet has eaten a toxic plant do not wait to induce vomiting. Contact your veterinarian immediately. You can also contact the Animal Poison Control Center. They are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Their number is 888.426.4435 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            888.426.4435      end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting

Never assume your pet “has learned their lesson”. Remember that once an animal tastes something appealing they are very likely to try to eat it again!

Please click on the link below to watch an informative video on “Plants Potentially Poisonous to Pets” given by The Humane Society.
http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/plants_poisonous_to_pets.html