Staff of BAH Blog

Toxic Plants and Foods for Dogs and Cats

Emma Youmans: BASc, Veterinary Assistant BAH

“Sticks and Stones” ; “Kill Them with Kindness” ; “Hakuna Matata”

Hello there, my name is Emma Youmans and I have my Bachelor of Science with a major in Zoology from the University of Guelph. I will be attending Veterinary Technician school in the fall, to further my education. I am a Receptionist/Veterinary Assistant here at Breslau Animal Hospital. Stay tuned for more blogs from other staff members. 

Today’s blog will go over plants and foods that are toxic to our beloved pets. It is important to know what is harmful to our pets to ensure we are providing the best care possible and to keep our fur babies safe. 

 

Toxic Plants

Below, I have provided a list of some toxic plants to keep out of reach or to avoid completely to protect our pets. 

Daffodils and Tulips

Faye Cornish, February 26, 2018, Published on Unsplash

  • English Ivy

  • Snake plant

  • Aloe

  • Daffodil

  • Trumpet lily

  • Tulips

  • English holly

  • Peace lily

  • Elephant ears

  • Ribbon plant

  • House pine

  • Azalea

  • Geranium

  • Hurricane plant

  • And many others…

 

Don’t be too disappointed, there are a lot of pet friendly plants as well!

Cactus

Stephanie Harvey, November 5, 2017, Published on Unsplash

  • Spider plant

  • Burrow’s tail

  • African violet

  • Bottom fern

  • Hens and chickens

  • Aluminum plant

  • Gloxinia

  • Impatience plant

  • Maranta

  • Orchid

  • Sweet alyssum

  • Feather palm

  • Creeping Charlie

  • Baby’s tears

  • Christmas cactus

  • Cactus

  • Boston fern

  • Wax plant

  • Parlour palm

These pet friendly plants listed above may still cause our pets to experience vomiting or diarrhea if ingested, however they will not be as toxic. It may be helpful to learn how to identify the different plants in your garden or home and the plants along the path you walk your dog. Being able to identify plants will help your veterinarian better diagnose and assess your dog if they do ingest a plant. More specifically, if you can also let your veterinarian know exactly what part of the plant was consumed, this could also help increase the doctors overall understanding of the situation and help them treat your pet faster and more accurately. Often times the leaves or the flowers contain most of the toxic material and it is important to report this to your doctor as well. There are also some helpful apps for our smartphones that can identify plants within seconds. These include apps like PlantSnap, Garden Compass, iNaturalist, Leafsnap, Plantifier, iPflanzen, and SmartPlant.

Symptoms that could occur after an animal consumes a toxic plant include but are not limited to; vomiting, diarrhea, kidney damage or failure, seizures, increased heart rate, hallucinations, neurological issues, coma, increased drooling, liver failure, convulsions, cardiovascular collapse, and death.

 

Toxic Foods

The foods listed below are dangerous to our pets:

Chocolate Truffle and Coffee

Yulia Khlebnikova, May 13, 2020, Published on Unsplash

  • Alcohol

  • Apple seeds

  • Apricot pits

  • Avocados

  • Cherry pits

  • Candy

  • Sugar free candy

  • Chocolate

  • Xylitol (toxic sweetener)

  • Coffee and caffeine

  • Garlic

  • Spicy foods

  • Onions and the onion family

  • Grapes and raisins

  • Gum

  • Hops

  • Macadamia nuts

  • Moldy food

  • Mushrooms

  • Marijuana or Marijuana containing foods

  • Peach pits

  • Salt

  • Yeast and dough

  • Household Vitamins

  • And more…

Symptoms of eating any human foods can vary in our pets. Symptoms can include vomiting, diarrhea, low blood pressure, seizures, anemia, joint pain, kidney failure, liver failure, paralysis, and death.

If your pet consumes any of these toxic plants or foods it is important to contact your veterinarian or a nearby emergency clinic immediately! Make sure to have the packaging for the item ingested handy. Know that the optimal timing to make your pet vomit is within the first 15-30 minutes. After that, odds are less that it hasn’t already moved beyond the stomach. If you are unsure about anything that your pet has gotten into, notify your veterinarian. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. We have your pets’ best interest at heart and we don’t mind the questions at all.

The lists above are only some of the most common toxic plants and foods to our pets. Many plants and foods can affect our pet’s gastrointestinal tract. Being mindful of this and furthering your general knowledge re: toxic items will help keep your pet safe.

Additional Resources: 

Humanesociety.org/resources/foods-can-be-poisonous-pets

ASPCA.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/people-foods-avoid-feeding-your-pets

Pets best.com/blog/20-foods-shouldn’t-eat/

https://www.petmd.com/cat/emergency/poisoning-toxicity/e_ct_poisonous_plants

human-food-and-cats-551947_Final-5c055110c9e77c0001f3f06a.png (1500×1000) (thesprucepets.com)

17 Plants Poisonous to Pets | ASPCApro

If you have any questions about which plants or foods are safe for your fur-family to eat - and which are dangerous - please contact us with the form below: