Doggy Dangers and Kitty Catastrophes – keeping pets safe in the garden

I’ve written a couple of blog posts about pet safety in the garden. I’ve mentioned the dangers that pesticides, fertilizer, compost and other garden items can cause to our pets. And although I mentioned poisonous plants, I hadn’t looked very closely at the list until this weekend.

When I did, I was surprised at how many common plants were on the list. Here are a few plants that are common to the mid-Atlantic region which can cause problems for our pets. You can view the full list on the ASPC website.

If your pet ingests any of these plants, call your local veterinarian or animal emergency center.

American bittersweet, Symptoms: weakness, convulsions, gastroenteritis (vomiting, diarrhea)

Autumn crocus, Symptoms: oral irritation, bloody vomiting, diarrhea, shock, multi-organ damage, bone marrow suppression.

Azalea, Symptoms: Vomiting, diarrhea, hyper salivation, weakness, coma, hypotension, CNS depression, cardiovascular collapse and death.

Cardinal flower, Symptoms: Depression, diarrhea, vomiting, excessive salivation, abdominal pain, heart rhythm disturbances.

Daffodils, Symptoms: Vomiting, salvation, diarrhea; large ingestions cause convulsions, low blood pressure, tremors and cardiac arrhythmias. Bulbs are the most poisonous part.

Milkweed (this plant is a favorite in butterfly gardens), Symptoms: Vomiting, profound depression, weakness, anorexia, and diarrhea are common; may be followed by seizures, difficulty breathing, rapid, weak pulse, dilated pupils, kidney or liver failure, coma, respiratory paralysis and death

Periwinkle, symptoms: Vomiting, diarrhea, low blood pressure, depression, tremors, seizures, coma, death.

Toxic and Non-Topic Plants – ASPCA website