We all love those first few flowers of spring, but did you know that some of them can be harmful to your pet? Dogs love to dig and can easily dig up and snack on bulbs such as tulips, daffodils, narcissus, and hyacinths. Ingesting these flowers in large amounts can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. More severe symptoms as a result of larger ingestions can include increased heart and respiratory rate, foreign body obstructions, and, in rare cases, cardiac arrhythmias.
Tiger lilies are one of the first flowers to bloom and make a beautiful centerpiece. However, be careful if you have a cat; the pollen, leaves, stems and even the water from the vase can cause severe kidney failure in cats. Signs of kidney failure include vomiting, lethargy and diarrhea. Types of poisonous lilies include:
- Tiger lily
- Asiatic lily
- Stargazer lily
- Casablanca lily
- Rubrum lily
- Day lily
- Japanese Show lily
- Easter lily
Cats can also suffer from gastrointestinal issues that include vomiting and diarrhea from ingesting the Spring Crocus. Other toxic plants for your pets include daffodils, begonias, foxglove, buttercups and tulips.
Though you and your pets may have suffered from months of cabin fever and are dying to get outdoors, it’s important to be smart about where you exercise your pets and to watch out for any toxic plants they might get into. If you suspect your pet has ingested any of these toxic plants, please contact Eastern Shore Vet Hospital immediately!
Check out https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants for more information.
Written be Rebecca Hawes, RVT
