5 Plants That Can Poison Your Pet

Posted on May 9th, 2017

Do you let your dog outside to run around in the backyard during the spring and summer? Maybe you’re a cat owner and you let your little feline roam free for a few hours per day? Unfortunately, there are a few hidden dangers hiding on your property that can poison your pets — and they happen to be the plants in your garden.

• Tulips – The bulbs of tulips contain allergenic lactones that are extremely toxic. Simply chewing on the bulbs will result in an irritated esophagus and mouth tissue. After being ingested, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive drooling, increased heart rate, and abnormal breathing can be experienced by your pet.
• Amaryllis – Like tulips, ingesting the bulbs of the amaryllis plant can cause vomiting, abdominal pain, excessive drooling, tremors, as well as low blood pressure. This is thanks to lycorine and phenanthridine alkaloids that are found within the bulbs (smaller amounts are also found in the stems and leaves).
• Lilies – Tiger and Day lilies are two species of lilies that are commonly found in gardens across the country. Ingesting even a small amount of this flower can cause kidney failure. Other species like Peace, Peruvian, and Calla lilies contain oxalate crystals that can irritate the mouth tissue, tongue, and esophagus.
• Azaleas – Toxic components can be found on the leaves, flowers, and nectar of the azalea plant. When bees feed on this plant, they will create “mad honey” that have these toxic components infused within the honey. Ingestion of the honey or any piece of the plant will result in excessive drooling, diarrhea, low blood pressure, and irregular heartbeats.
• Chrysanthemums – Toxins within chrysanthemums include sesquiterpenes, lactones, pyrethrins, etc. Once this plant has been ingested, hypersalivation, dermatitis, vomiting, diarrhea, and a lack of coordination can be experienced. Different species and sizes react differently to this plant, but it’s best to bring your pet to the vet just in case.

Planting a variety of flowers and plants throughout your property is encouraged, however, be cautious of these five plants if you are a pet owner.

Turf Unlimited is a full service lawn care provider, offering a wide variety of lawn care, fertilization, and pest and weed control services to the Massachusetts or New Hampshire area. For more information about our services call 888-649-9919 and schedule your free, in-home estimate today.

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