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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.

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