Plants are decorative and many of us are used to buying bouquets of flowers to decorate our rooms, as well as pots and small trees to give color, smell and life to the home . But there is something that very few know, especially first-time owners of cats, dogs and other pets, and that is that there are toxic plants.
There are some plants that affect a cat as well as a dog. There are even plants toxic to rabbits and other rodents and pets as well. Before adopting the new member of the family, the space must be adapted to their needs and if we have a toxic plant at home, there are two options, either put it out of their reach or give it to someone else who does not have pets.
The problem with putting that pot out of reach of the dog or cat is that many plants have pollen and that is usually toxic too, so be very careful. It is best to follow the recommendations of a veterinarian and review the following list with toxic plants.
Main poisonous plants for dogs
The dog is the most common pet in our homes, they are affectionate, funny, they make good company, they encourage us to practice sports, they are the best friends of children and, although sometimes they break their bed, their shoes, or urinate where they should not , they will always be there to greet you with all their love.
Tulip
Tulips have been cultivated since the 16th century and it is a very charismatic plant. Despite its beauty and simplicity, it is highly toxic in its entirety, from one end to another. The most toxic is the bulb that is loaded with alkaloids and glycosides.
We can place it at a certain distance and height, but for prevention, we recommend not having it at home if there are dogs nearby, no matter their age, size and breed.
Daffodil
Daffodils are beautiful and are widely used to decorate rooms in long vases, but if we have dogs at home, we’d better not even consider having those flowers indoors. The whole plant itself is toxic, but once again the worst part is in the bulb which contains alkaloids licorine and galantamine.
Ingestion causes vomiting, diarrhea, arrhythmia, abdominal pain , low blood pressure among other serious causes.
Cica or sago palm
This seemingly harmless palm tree is another toxic plant for our four-legged friends. It contains cicasin and is present in the seeds, when eating them, the dog is poisoned causing vomiting with blood, diarrhea, clotting, liver failure and even death .
Oleanders
There is no more common plant in community gardens than oleanders. They are pretty and easy to care for, but hardly anyone knows that they are poisonous to our furry friends. It contains large amounts of cardiac heterosides and oleandrin that cause serious heart problems .
Adam’s Rib
A beautiful plant with large green leaves that gives life to all homes, except where there are dogs … It contains calcium oxalate and if ingested, the dog will vomit, swelling in the mouth, neck and esophagus . A plant that we can have at home, but at a certain height, so as not to end up in the emergency room.
Spatifilo
The name does not sound familiar, but the photo does. A very pretty plant with long green leaves and a white flower. If our dog decides that it is a good idea to eat this plant, it can suffer lethal asphyxia, excess saliva, swelling of the digestive circuit, and, just by rubbing, it would suffer dermatitis, irritations, blisters, etc.
Poinsettia
A very characteristic Christmas pot. It is quite normal to see it everywhere, in shops, on the street, in the gardens, etc. but behind its beautiful appearance hides a highly dangerous secret. The simple rubbing of the dog (and the cat) with the sap of this plant causes dermatitis with irritations and inflammations. If they decide to eat it, you will suffer vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, irritation of the mucous membranes and a lot of saliva.
Aloe vera
Yes, this plant is toxic to our dogs. What is truly dangerous is sage, which is yellowish in color and should not be confused with that of Aloe so famous. If our dog is given to suck that liquid, he will suffer blisters on the skin, he will salivate excessively, vomit, diarrhea, intense abdominal pain, low pulse …
Hydra
If we go to a garden, whether private or public, it is very normal to see this plant also known as ivy, but do not be fooled by its harmless appearance because it is toxic to dogs. Contact with the fruits can cause dermatitis, blisters and ulcers . If the dog decides to play with these leaves, bite them and eat them, the risk of toxicity increases, leading to death .
Poto
A pretty plant that is usually hung from the ceiling in many homes. Do not be fooled by its harmless appearance, because if instead of being out of reach of the dog, we let it suck and bite it, it can cause inflammation of the oral mucosa and pharynx, difficulty breathing, serious problems of the digestive system, seizures and even kidney damage .
Cyclamen
The dangerous thing here is cyclamine, which is a very toxic purgative substance. If the dog dies and ingests it, it could suffer vomiting, intense diarrhea, general malaise, a lot of abdominal pain, seizures, kidney failure, arrhythmia and even paralysis .
Plants that you cannot have at home if you live with a cat
There are many toxic plants for our cats. A clear example of this are the poinsettia, tulip, oleanders, ivy, cyclamen, daffodils and pothos , which share symptoms with dogs, so we must keep these plants away from our furry friends, or even better, or put them in home.
The lily family
Including lilies and lilies, they are considered very dangerous toxic plants for felines. It begins with vomiting, weakness, lack of appetite, diarrhea, profuse thirst and can end up causing severe kidney failure.
Lilies are deadly for cats, even if they only drink the water from the vase , so it is better not to keep them indoors.
Azalea
They are beautiful flowers that are often sold in bouquets, although it is normal to see them in pots and in community gardens. Drinking the water from the vase, or licking the pollen that has fallen on your hair, can kill you .
Hydrangeas
They are precious right? Well, be very careful if we have cats at home, since this flower and its leaves are harmful to them. After ingesting it, our feline goes through several phases that begin with vomiting and diarrhea and can end with lightheadedness and lack of coordination .
Poppies
Poppies have their magic in their fragility, since if they are plucked they die quickly. Something similar can happen to our life partner. If cats (and even dogs) play with a poppy, they may experience drooling, skin irritation, a low heart rate, and dilated pupils .
Let us remember that opium is extracted from poppies, a substance that has analgesic, hypnotic and narcotic properties. From there other drugs such as heroin are later obtained.
Plants toxic to other pets
Many of us not only share our lives with a cat or a dog, but there are also rabbits and small rodents in our lives. Well, if we are lucky enough to have our rabbit, guinea pig or chinchilla in semi-freedom we must be careful with some plants, since they are toxic to them.
The list of toxic plants for dogs and cats is also shared with that of rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas and other rodents, such as, for example, the lilies family, oleanders, azaleas, holly, ivy, tulips, poppies , among others, so we must clean the area well and make sure that there is only grass or sand and give it only fruits, vegetables and its usual feed.