Our fur babies bring us unlimited amounts of joy and happiness. It is our pleasure and responsibility to keep them safe, comfortable, cared for and loved. During the pandemic we saw an increase in the amount of pet adoptions when people found themselves with more time during lockdown, and occasionally a change in work that allowed them to spend more time at home. But did we learn what is safe and what may be poisonous for dogs??
Many of us do careful research to learn the best ways to care for our new family members and make sure that we have the best information to keep them safe. We may not have considered our landscapes or gardens, or even the neighborhood park as an area we would need to ‘dog-proof’ or check for safety, but there are dangers lurking in even these seemingly innocuous areas.
There are a huge number of plants that are poisonous for dogs…highly toxic or even deadly (cue the whimper). You will usually find these common plants in your local park, next door, or even in your backyard.
Here are 8 plants that are poisonous to dogs…keep these in mind and keep your fur baby away from and the symptoms to watch out for:
- Tomato Plant
Summer is known for producing the best and most delicious tomatoes. Garden fresh tomatoes are unmatched in flavor. Unfortunately, tomatoes and dogs do not mix. These plants that bring deliciousness to our tables can cause weakness, drowsiness, dilated pupils, slow heart rate, weakness, confusion, and gastrointestinal problems.
- Sago Palm
For some odd reason many dogs find these ornamental palms strangely delicious. Unfortunately, they cause liver failure and death, so maybe just keep that in mind…
- Ivy
That ivy on your neighbor’s fence, on the park wall, or in your backyard, needs to be avoided. If ingested, ivy causes vomiting, diarrhea, excessive salivation, and drooling, as well as abdominal pain.
- Aloe Vera
Even though this medicinal plant helps us humans with our digestion and our sunburns, it’s a no-no for your puppers. Aloe has saponins that cause general nervous system depression as well as vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, and tremors.
- Amaryllis
Pretty, but deadly… this flowering bulb is poisonous for your dog.
- Gladiola
Common problems if ingested by your dog are drooling, vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy.
- American Holly
Although not as dangerous as others, this ornamental shrub is still toxic, and can cause vomiting and diarrhea.
- Daffodil
This spring flower can cause intestinal spasms, low blood pressure, salivation, tremors, vomiting, diarrhea, and even cardiac arrhythmia.
These are just a few of the toxic plants that you might find in our area. It’s impossible to know what your pup might suddenly find tasty and decide to munch on. It’s best to do your research and be in the know. You can modify your landscape and remove these common toxic plants, or at least be aware so that you can monitor or train your dog to avoid them. Dogs have a mind of their own, but they are teachable.
If you have concerns about your landscape, we would be happy to help you answer any questions you might have. We are dog lovers, as well as landscape designers here at Rainscape and we are happy to help you create a haven for your entire family.