Plants that can be hazardous to pets

The weather is warming up, and it will be tempting to go buy new plants for your house and yard. Before you do, be aware of which plants are hazardous to your pets. All pets enjoy munching on greenery now and then. Fortunately, the most common result of ingesting small amounts of toxic plants is simply a mildly upset stomach. But there are some plants that can cause a more serious reaction.

When eaten, most lilies, such as the tiger, Easter and daylilies, cause loss of appetite, vomiting, lethargy, decrease in urine production and a painful belly. This is because they can cause kidney failure.

Cats are more susceptible to poisoning from lilies, so if you think your cat has been munching on any part of one of these plants, have her kidneys checked by your veterinarian.

If treatment is started early, a couple of days of intravenous fluids usually will lead to complete recovery.

The castor bean plant (Ricinus communis) contains the poison ricin. This compound is found in all parts of the plant but is most concentrated in the beans.

A single bean can kill a dog if the shell is ruptured. If the dog is treated before symptoms develop, the prognosis is good. But if you wait until the dog starts vomiting and having bloody diarrhea, it may be too late.

Cycad palms are common in our area, especially the sago palm (Cycas revolute). As with the castor bean plant, the poison of the cycad palms are present in the entire plant but also are most concentrated in the seeds.

The cycasin poison causes vomiting, salivation, anorexia and, eventually, liver failure. Again, treatment can be successful if begun early.

Unfortunately, our beautiful azaleas are quite poisonous. Ingestion of these plants and relatives rhododendron and laurel causes nerve conduction problems, resulting in heart problems, depression and even seizures.

There is no specific treatment for the poison in these plants, but supportive care in a veterinary hospital often can help a pet pull through.

Yews are common ground cover and hedges. Chewing on the branches can result in death so rapidly that your pet never shows any signs. If you ever see your pet munching on yew, get him to the veterinarian right away because most pets don't survive once they start showing signs of weakness.

Autumn crocuses (Colchicum speciosum) won't really be a problem until fall, but they are worthy of mentioning here because they are so poisonous.

The flowers are the most dangerous, and ingestion leads to multiple-organ failure within 24 hours. There are some medications that can help improve survival rates. So if you suspect your pet ate a crocus flower, be sure to tell your veterinarian.

Lily-of-the-valley, foxglove, larkspur, monkshood and oleander can cause heart problems in pets, so symptoms might include lethargy, fainting and even coma.

Legend has it that oleander was used by local Charleston women to make a tea that was served to British officers during the Revolutionary War. These officers supposedly appeared to die from heart attacks.

There is a pretty little shrub called yesterday-today-and-tomorrow (Brunfelsia grandiflora) that can cause a seizure in a pet if he ingests any part of the plant.

Coughing, gagging and eye twitches usually are the first signs, and even with intensive care, recovery can take days or even weeks.

To discourage your pet from munching on your favorite and potentially dangerous plants, you can try repellent sprays or sprinkle cayenne or ginger on the leaves.

Pets, especially cats, don't like the feel and sound of aluminum foil, so placing this around plants can help. Upside-down plastic carpet runner is very hard on sensitive paws and can keep pets away from areas with plants.

If your pet insists on greenery as part of his diet, purchase pet grass. All pet stores carry the stuff, and all you have to do is add water.

The grass grows rapidly and hopefully will attract your pets to it rather than your houseplants. Some pet stores and health food stores even have pre-grown wheat grass.

This is much safer to eat than household plants and doesn't require any additional gardening. Even plain yard grass is OK provided they don't get a blade in the eye or up their nose.

Overeating any of the grasses can lead to post grass-eating vomit.

Fortunately, spider plants and umbrella plants, probably the most common houseplants, are perfectly safe for pets.

If your pet should ingest anything questionable, call your vet or call the animal poison hotline at 888-426-4435.

Information online is available at www.aspca.org.

Never induce vomiting if irritation to the mouth is listed as a symptom. Instead, have your pet drink some milk and call your veterinarian if symptoms get worse.

If the plant is not irritating, induction of vomiting is a good idea if you cannot get to your vet immediately.

Identify the plant before you head to the vet.

Veterinarians are not plant specialists, although they will do their best to figure out what the plant is if you bring some leaves and flowers with you to the appointment.

Dr. Katherine A. Saenger owns Bees Ferry Veterinary Hospital and Boarding Kennel. Send questions to her at vetsaenger@bellsouth.net.