I WANT PRETTY HOUSEPLANTS…BUT I HAVE A PET! UGH.

By Zoe Forward, DVM, Dipl. ABVP (canine/feline)

We all know some of those pretty house plants are bad for pets, especially those acrobatic cats who can make it to the top shelf where you tried to “hide” the plant. The tricky part is which ones are clearly an issue and need to be on the top of your  DON’T GET THIS ONE list.

Which plants are definite no no’s?

1. Lily (Lilium spp) – Gorgeous plants but every part of the plant is a problem (flower, stem, leaf).

          What does it do? KIDNEY FAILURE

 

 

 

2. Marijuana ( Cannabis sativa ) – Please don’t let your dog accidentally eat the “special brownies.” I can’t tell you how many times we’ve seen a pet show up after this. Dogs love chocolate. They don’t know you’ve made an addition. Even a small amount can be a big problem. And, as a hint, if it happens, just tell us. Please don’t be cagy. We don’t judge. We’ve seen it. We want your pet to live.

          What symptoms? Marked lethargy  and incoordination (walking as if drunk), digestive tract upset ( vomiting, diarrhea), drooling, BUT this can progress to seizures and coma.

3. Azalea or Rhododendron (Rhododenron spp) – Eating the flowers and leaves can affect the brain and digestive tract.

          What symptoms? Drooling, digestive upset (vomit, diarrhea) BUT too much can cause DEATH!!

 

4. Oleander – This is a very popular outdoor shrub because it’s an evergreen, but super bad for pets.

 

What’s it cause? Digestive tract upset….then heart problems (arrhythmia)…then DEATH!

 

 

 

5. Yew  (Taxus spp)—popular decorative shrub. IF eaten it affects the nerves and brain.

          What’s it do? Trembling, incoordination (walking as if drunk)…then heart failure and DEATH.

 

And then the other plants which are not deadly but can cause a lot of mouth irritation and possible vomit/diarrhea:

Pothos, Schefflera, English Ivy, Peace Lily (please note this is Mauna Loa Peace Lily, not a lily as noted above), chrysanthemum.

 

**This is not an exhaustive list. There are many others that are issues. This are just the most popular ones in our area.

 

 

Pic Sources:

Lily: http://bit.ly/208LjtB

Marijuana: http://bit.ly/1MgI88J

Azalea: http://bit.ly/1N5XMsz

Oleander: http://bit.ly/1OVHLXK