Pet Tips Related Articles – Page 3

Poisonous Plants to Dogs – Avoid Toxic Flowers in the Garden

Pet Safety Articles

With spring weather finally cooperating and hitting warmer temperatures throughout the United States, it’s time to get annual plants in the ground. Like most of you, part of the season I enjoy most is throwing the ball to my dogs in the yard and watching them get taunted by the squirrels. We are fortunate to have areas dedicated to annual flowers, perennial shrubs, and an edible garden. Unfortunately, some of the plants I enjoy watching bloom can be toxic to dogs and it pays to consider which flowers and plants you have in the garden this spring season.

Treatment if Toxic Plants Are Ingested

Below follows a list of the most common dangerous plants and flowers that dogs shouldn’t eat and what signs and symptoms may be present if consumed. We will cover a dog first aid kit in a future article, but it always makes sense to have a bottle of dawn dish soap, Hydrogen Peroxide, as well as a bottle of saline to rinse the eyes and the mouth if an irritant is introduced. After administering hydrogen peroxide, vomiting typically ensues within 10 minutes. This may mitigate some of the more harmful effects of the poisonous plant. That being said, always consult your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at their 24-hour emergency number, (888) 426-4435. Sometimes the damage of an irritating substance coming up can do as much or more damage than the item going down.

Currently, a $65 charge per case is applied to a credit card, but their expert advice may just save your dog’s life. It should also be noted that consuming any vegetation can cause gastrointestinal signs such as vomiting and diarrhea and may be dose related. This seems counter-productive as many dogs will eat grass to soothe an upset tummy but tell that to your pup! Some of the spring flowers you should avoid planting can cause almost immediate effects. Others take hours for their toxic chemicals to produce symptoms.

Plants & Flowers Poisonous to Dogs

Edible Garden

Onion or Allium family: This includes garlic bulbs, chives, leeks, and flowering alliums. They contain a chemical called N-propyl disulfide which is concentrated in the plant bulbs.
Clinical Signs: Vomiting, breakdown of red blood cells, blood in the urine, weakness, high heart rate, panting

Citrus Fruits like Lime: Contain Essential oils and psoralens
Clinical Signs: Vomiting, diarrhea, depression; potential dermatitis or skin irritation. Fruit is edible, skins and plant material can cause problems

Tomato Plant (leaves, unripe fruit) and Nightshade: Contains Solanine
Clinical Signs: Hypersalivation, inappetence, severe gastrointestinal upset, depression/drowsiness

Macadamia Nuts: toxin unknown
Clinical signs: depression, weakness (especially of rear limbs), vomiting, tremors.

Marjoram, Thyme, and Mint: Contains Essential oils
Clinical Signs: depression, weakness (especially of rear limbs), vomiting, tremors.

Apples, plums, cherry trees: Stems, leaves, seeds contain cyanide, particularly toxic in the process of wilting
Clinical signs: brick red mucous membranes, dilated pupils, difficulty breathing, panting, shock.

Non-Edible Garden

Foxglove or digitalis: Among the most toxic of plants in the flower garden containing Cardiac glycosides
Clinical Signs: Heart arrhythmias, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, cardiac failure, death.

Daisies and anything in the chrysanthemum family: Contain Sesquiterpene, lactones, pyrethrins and other potential irritants
Clinical Signs: Vomiting, diarrhea, hypersalivation, incoordination, dermatitis

Ivy, any variety: Contain Triterpenoid saponins (hederagenin)
Clinical Signs: Vomiting, abdominal pain, hypersalivation, diarrhea. The leaves are more toxic than berries

Geraniums: Geraniol, linalool are the toxins present
Clinical Signs: Vomiting, anorexia, depression, dermatitis

Hellebore or Christmas Rose: Bufadienolides, glycosides, veratrin and prtoanemonin are some of the toxins
Clinical Signs: Drooling, abdominal pain and diarrhea, and depression

Hostas: Part of the Lily family. Saponins cause symptoms.
Clinical Signs: Vomiting, diarrhea, depression.

Lily of the Valley: Cardenolides (convallarin, and others)
Clinical Signs: Vomiting, irregular heartbeat, low blood pressure, disorientation, coma, seizures

Coleus: Essential Oils
Clinical Signs: Vomiting, diarrhea, depression, anorexia, occasionally bloody diarrhea, or vomiting

Irises: Pentacylic terpenoids (zeorin, missourin and missouriensin) are highly concentrated in the rhizomes.
Clinical Signs: Salivation, vomiting, drooling, lethargy, diarrhea.

Rhododendrons: Ingestion of a few leaves can cause serious problems due to Grayantoxin.
Clinical Signs: Vomiting, diarrhea, hypersalivation, weakness, coma, hypotension, nervous system depression, cardiovascular collapse, and death.

Burning bush: Contain alkaloids
Clinical Signs: Vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, weakness. Heart rhythm abnormalities with large doses.

Black Walnut found most often in mulch:
Clinical Signs: moldy nuts/hulls can cause tremors and seizures, ingestion of shavings can cause incoordination

Yew: Contains Taxine A and B, and volatile oils
Clinical Signs: Tremors, difficulty breathing, vomiting, seizures (dogs), sudden death from heart failure.

Yarrow: Achilleine and alkaloids.
Clinical Signs: Increased urination, vomiting, diarrhea, dermatitis.

Tulips and daffodils: While we are seeing the beautiful spring flowers, their planting season is actually in the fall. The bulbs deep in the ground contain the most harmful part of the plant. So, while the flower itself is not dangerous, use caution when planting throughout the year.
Clinical Signs: vomiting, depression, diarrhea, and hypersalivation; large amounts cause convulsions, low blood pressure, tremors, and cardiac arrhythmias.

Don’t let the laundry list of scary flora deter you from enjoying the garden with your dog. The following is a list of vet-approved plants. See you outside!

Alyssum, Squash, Impatiens, Baby’s Breath, Basil, Blue Eyed Daisy, Chickens and Hens, Cinquefoil, Cilantro, Snapdragons, Coreopsis, Cornflower, Day Lilies (toxic to cats), Ferns, Marigolds, Asters, Red Maple, and Zinnias.

Pet Safety: Safe Foods Dogs Can Eat On Thanksgiving

Pet Safety Articles

Next time you are the pet store picking up a bag of kibble, check out the ingredients in some popular brands of dog food. The lists read like a veritable Thanksgiving Day menu: sweet potatoes, turkey, peas, white potatoes, carrots, pumpkin and cranberries. As the lines blur between pet food diets and what we feed our human holiday guests, it is a good idea to clear up some common misconceptions about safe and dangerous Thanksgiving meals for dogs, so they can join the party!

Thanksgiving Table Decorations To Watch Out For

During the holiday preparations, we may overlook the dog in the corner munching on a mum or an amaryllis. Both plants, as well as macadamia nuts, holly, English ivy, cyclamen, and Christmas rose are all found on the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center’s list of toxic plants. Ingesting modest quantities will generally cause vomiting, diarrhea, depression, and excessive salivation so it’s best to keep any plants high out of reach of a rogue canine.

The kitchen! Home to all varieties of delicious smells, tastes, and frenzied activity. Dough rising in the corner for dinner rolls? Should your dog eat raw dough, be prepared for a host of potential problems including bowel obstruction and bloat as the dough continues to rise and release gases INSIDE your dog’s belly. As the yeast ferments, ethanol is produced.

Think an over-served relative is bad news? A drunk dog is no laughing matter; watch for signs of drooling, difficulty walking, weakness, low blood pressure, body temperature, vomiting, and seizures in an intoxicated pet. Raw or under-cooked meat waiting for the deep fryer can also be dangerous to your dog. In addition to bones which can puncture the esophagus, stomach, intestines, or become lodged in the mouth, Salmonella and E.coli love to live on raw turkey. Ingesting these bacteria may cause vomiting and diarrhea in your dog which may lead to secondary exposure by unsuspecting guests.

Safe Thanksgiving Foods For Dogs

Can your dog eat cooked turkey? For most otherwise healthy dogs with no food allergies or intolerances, the answer is yes! A good rule of thumb is to feed your dog no more than 10% of his daily calories in treat form or suffer the consequences (read: diarrhea).

Skinless, boneless white meat is low in fat and calories and is easy to digest for most dogs. Likewise, canned or cooked pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling with sugar and spices) is a great source of fiber and Vitamin A; 1-2 Tablespoons can be added to your dog’s dish without leading to excessive gas or loose stools.

Mashed or cooked white potatoes or sweet potatoes are also a delicious treat; set aside some safe starches before you add butter, salt, milk, cheese, gravy, and especially garlic or onions (both on the naughty list and can cause red blood cell damage!). And please, no gravy!

Traditional Thanksgiving foods like cranberries can be eaten in very small amounts before being doctored with sugar and other goodness. And while they may look similar, grapes and raisins are known to cause kidney disease in dogs and are to be avoided. Plain green beans and peas are tasty and healthy! Add a few to your dog’s Thanksgiving plate.

Sweet Treats Dogs Can and Cannot Eat

No meal is complete without dessert. Chocolate is a definite no-no; the caffeine and theobromine cause nervous system stimulation, gastrointestinal upset, and even death in high enough doses. All chocolate is not created equal; dark chocolate and baking chocolate, i.e. the “good stuff”, contains more of the “bad stuff” and will cause toxicity in smaller quantities. Size does matter. A smaller dog will become ill eating the same amount of chocolate as a larger pet.

Those of you trying to minimize the calorie load in your Thanksgiving meal need to be sure sweeteners containing xylitol aren’t accessible to dogs. The no-calorie sweetener can be found in some peanut butters, gum, mints, pudding snacks, and some baked goods. Unlike humans, dogs consuming xylitol experience a massive release of insulin which can cause low blood sugar, weakness, seizures, and liver failure. If you like to spoil your pet, apples, carob chips, and frozen banana bites are safe Thanksgiving indulgences for your dog.

Most of all, make sure your guests are on the same page when it comes to sharing their Thanksgiving food. If everyone gives your dog a “tiny” bit of turkey, tummy troubles or even a serious case of pancreatitis could send you to the vet. It’s also important to remember to feed your dog his Thanksgiving dish IN his dish and not from your hand or the table. Bad behavior can begin or be reinforced during the frenetic holidays.

Be mindful of these tips and you can be thankful you avoided a Thanksgiving trip to the Animal ER!