DogCast Radio
Home Episodes Articles Blog Breed profiles Book reviews Photos Contact

Tiptoe through the tulips - they're poisonous to dogs

With Spring very much in the air, and flowers in bloom all around, it's tempting to brighten up our houses with bouquets of colourful flowers - but, do you know that some plants are not good for our dogs?

Flowers can smell and look very tempting to a dog, so we need to be careful where we place flowers and plants around our homes. In addition to the mess a dog could make if he knocked over a vase or pot, some plants can be lethal to our four legged friends.

In fact, some plants can pose risks to our dogs even if they're in the garden, so we really need to be aware of what we're planting in the garden and displaying in the house.

Battersea Dogs & Cats Home has put together a list of the most common houseplants and flowers that can put your dog (or cat) in danger, but there are others that are toxic, so it's always best to check each individual plant:

Lilies
Lilies are popular and pretty flowers but the sweet scent of Lilies can attract your curious cat and can cause severe kidney failure if they ingest any part of this flower. Brushing against the pollen can cause particles to cling to their fur which can be ingested during grooming. Certain types of Lilies can also be harmful to dogs. Avoid having these types of plants in your house.

Daffodils
Often associated with Spring and Mother’s Day in the UK, any portion of this plant can be highly toxic to cats. It can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, convulsions and can cause a drop in blood pressure. The bulb of a Daffodil is the most dangerous for dogs and cats.

Tulips and hyacinths
The bulb of a tulip is poisonous to dogs and cats. Ingestion of this can cause vomiting and breathing difficulties.

Aloe Vera
Although this plant has great healing properties for human skin, there are parts of this plant that are dangerous to your dog or cat. The white sap that comes out when the leaf is broken is poisonous to your pets.

Ivy
These are familiar plants in and around the home but for our four-legged friend ingesting its leaves in large quantities can cause breathing difficulties or a coma.

Dieffenbachia
Also known as Dumb Cane, these plants may have a name you might not know, but they are a common houseplant that can cause oral irritation, vomiting, a burning sensation of the lips, tongue and mouth, leading to breathing difficulties in dogs and cats.

Other common flowers and plants that are poisonous includes Foxgloves, Azaleas, Crocus and Cyclamen (also known as Sowbread).

If you think your dog or cat has been in contact with any of these plants or have any of these symptoms, seek veterinary care straight away. Remove any toxic plants from the house if you think they might be dangerous and check any flower or plant before bringing it into your home.

Alternatively, if your pet is quite the chewer - it might be a good idea to purchase edible cat grass, cat mint or catnip for felines to chew safely instead. For canines, moving houseplants out of reach and spraying houseplants with natural pet repellent (rather than chemical ones) may also deter them away from the plants.

Sharing

273 - dog parkour and dog news discussion

Dog trainer Emma Hendy explains how Dog Parkour can help your bond with your dog, and give you both a new mindset. Julie gives her opinion on some dog news stories which caught her attention.

189 - The Dog Healers and War Dogs Remembered

In this episode you can hear Mark Winik talk about his debut novel, The Dog Healers, and listen to Julia Robertson explain why she founded the charity War Dogs remembered. Plus there's the DogCast Radio News, and what Mischief the German Spitz puppy has been up to.

188 - Service Dogs UK and Roxie the Doxie Finds Her Forever Home

In this episode you can hear about Service Dogs UK, a fantastic charity which trains assistance dogs to support veterans of any service - military personnel, police, firefighters, paramedics and the coastguard - who develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder due to their job. Also, listen to Dr Jody A Dean, a clinical psychologist talk about how her book, Roxie the Doxie finds her Forever Home, is helping children understand and talk about adoption and other family issues. Plus the DogCast Radio News and some thoughts on the alpha dog myth.

187 - Muffins Halo and Chorley Fun Dog Show

In this episode you can hear about Muffin's Halo for Blind Dogs, and what motivates people to enter their dog in a fun dog show. In the DogCast Radio News, listen to stories about the latest dog related research. Plus there's a new member of the DogCast Radio team!

186 - Maxwell Muir on wolves

In this episode you can hear trainer, behaviourist, writer, broadcaster and wolf expert Maxwell Muir talk about what wolves mean to him personally, their plight in a modern world, and his hopes for their future. Plus we have the DogCast Radio News.