There's something wonderful about
watching your pet frolic outside in warm weather, but beware. Some
common plants and gardening products can be hazardous, even fatal, to a
dog or cat.
According to veterinarian Ahna Brutlag of the Pet Poison Helpline,
springtime calls to the 24/7 telephone center are frequent from pet
owners in a panic. Calls, which are taken by veterinary and toxicology
experts, are $39 per incident, including follow-up consultation for the
duration of the poison case.
"Many of the calls we receive this time of year involve pet ingestion
of yard and garden products that may have harmful chemicals or
ingredients," Brutlag said. "Additional yard-related emergencies involve
pets that have dug into and ingested the contents of compost piles or
consumed various plants and flowers that can be poisonous."
Such plants and products include:
Crocuses that bloom in spring generally causes gastrointestinal upset
while the fall crocus is highly toxic and can cause severe vomiting,
gastrointestinal bleeding and multisystem organ failure with bone marrow
suppression.
Lilies such as peace, Peruvian and Calla only cause minor symptoms
when ingested, while tiger, Asiatic, Easter, Japanese show and daylily
varieties are highly toxic to cats. A very small ingestion of the latter
petals, leaves or pollen can result in severe kidney failure.
Lily of the valley - An early springtime favorite, contains cardiac
glycosides and can cause vomiting, diarrhea, a drop in heart rate,
severe cardiac arrhythmias and possibly seizures.
Cocoa bean mulch - Made from discarded hulls of the cocoa bean, a
tempting treat to dogs. Unfortunately, the mulch contains theobromine
and caffeine, two toxins that can cause vomiting, diarrhea,
hyperactivity, seizures and, in extreme cases, death.
Compost - As organic matter decomposes, tremorgenic mycotoxins are
released from mold spores. When consumed by an animal, symptoms such as
agitation, panting, drooling, vomiting, tremors and seizures can result
within 30 minutes.
Fertilizers, soil additives and pesticides - Avoid products that
contain blood meal, bonemeal and feather meal, which can form a
concretion in the stomach and ultimately obstruct the gastrointestinal
tract, causing severe pancreatitis.
Iron is another ingredient to avoid, as it can cause iron poisoning.
Pesticides and additives containing organophosphates should not be used
around pets; it can be fatal in even small amounts.
Slug and snail bait - An active ingredient called metaldehyde, found
in most forms of slug and snail bait, is highly poisonous and can cause
excess salivation, restlessness, vomiting, tremors, seizures and
life-threateningly high body temperatures within one to two hours of
ingestion. Symptoms can last for several days and can be fatal.
"People need to remember that some drugs, such as aspirin or heart
medication, contain ingredients that come from plants. When the plant is
ingested, you can see similar signs as when the drug is ingested," said
veterinarian Evelyn Vega, owner of Happy Pets Veterinary Clinic in
Valencia.
While Vega tends to see more holiday-related plant ingestions, such
as poinsettias at Christmas, rather than those that happen outdoors, she
suggested all scenarios be treated promptly and seriously.
"If an owner suspects their pet has been poisoned, it's crucial to
bring the pet into the vet office and to find out the name of the plant
so we can look it up and determine the best treatment," Vega said.
"Symptoms can vary depending on the plant. Most plants can cause
gastrointestinal upset with vomiting or diarrhea."
Preventing plant and garden-related ingestions is pretty simple, as Vega illustrated.
"Keep such plants and products out of reach, or don't have them at
all," she said. "If you're concerned about what plants are already on
your property, go to a local nursery and do some research."
Pet Poison Helpline is available in North America by calling
800-213-6680. Additional information can be found online at
www.petpoisonhelpline.com. Pet Poison Helpline's new iPhone application
contains an extensive database of plants, chemicals, food and drugs that
are poisonous to pets and also has a direct dial feature to the Pet
Poison Helpline in case of emergency. The app, called Pet Poison Help,
costs $0.99 and is available on iTunes.
Article originally posted on AVMA Health Brief.
This blog was created for Niles Animal Hospital & Bird Medical Center by Peter S. Sakas DVM in an effort to provide information & discussion about animal related issues. It may move into some eccentric directions on occasion if the mood strikes me as I get more comfortable in this form of communication. I am open to suggestions & comments about the blog. Also view our hospital website www.nilesanimalhospital.com or Facebook page Niles Animal Hospital and Bird Medical Center.
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Good info. In our area a dog died after eating mushrooms. I almost planted Lily of the Valley, then thought to look it up. It's very poisonous to pets.
ReplyDeleteGlad that this information proves useful.....that is my goal!
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