Keep your pets away from these toxic plants
Jabulile D. Zwane
In our last segment of dangerous substances to our pets, we focus on fauna and flora. Let’s explore five of the common toxic plants to pets. Aloe Vera. What’s a garden without this intrinsic human burn healer? As great as it may be for your wounds, it's extremely toxic to both cats and dogs. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhoea, anorexia and especially look out for a change in urine colour if ingested. Amaryllis. We all know the saying curiosity killed the cat, and yes its true. Kitties are curious by nature, and their knack for knowledge may lead to them finding your plants interesting. The unfortunate part is that felines tend to “feed” their curiousity by taste. Your furry can be poisoned by nibbling on the flowers, stems or leaves of the plant but especially the bulbs which all contain a toxic ingredient called lycorine which may cause abdominal pain, tremors, excessive drooling and a loss of appetite. Azaleas. A popular garden staple closely related to the Rhododendron family. Not only is this flowering shrub dangerous to domestic pets, but it is toxic to some farm animals too like horses, goats and sheep. Ingestion of just a few leaves can cause problems like upsetting the digestive system, frequent bowel movements, colic, depression, weakness, leg paralysis, weak heart rate and temporary blindness. 1. Baby’s Breath 2. Begonia 3. Castor Bean 4. Chrysanthemum 5. Cyclamen 6. Gladiola 7. Hosta 8. Ivy including the following, California, Branching, Glacier, Needlepoint, Sweetheart and
Carnations present a danger to cats even when your feline comes into skin contact with the flower as it may cause dermatitis, an inflamed skin rash. However if ingested, look out for mild gastrointestinal signs. Daffodils. These vivid flowering bulbs’ are a beautiful vision indeed, but their toxicity leaves their beauty questionable.
Just like Amaryllis, Daffodils contain lycorin. If the bulbs are eaten, symptoms may include shivering, a decrease in blood pressure and seizures.
If you suspect your pet has ingested any of these dangerous plants, immediately contact your vet, as timely and accurate identification of the ingested substance is vital.