Who would suspect the yucca to be toxic? The kitten plays with azalea flowers may have digestive problems … Young children put in their mouths pretty red berries of cotoneaster or the burning bush too. Warning! There is a danger. Know the toxicity of plants in your garden and your home is important for the safety of young children and all pets.
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Toxic plants in the garden
Take some precautions in the garden to protect your animals from toxic plants. Thus, wear gardening gloves when working in the garden, and remove them to stroke your pet. Do not let them get freshly cut plants (because of the sap, resin or toxic latex). Cover your compost so that it is not accessible to your pets, and do not let them reach fruits, seeds, bulbs…
Here is the partial list of the most toxic plant gardens, not exhaustive, and to be taken away animals such as young children:
- Among the shrubs and trees: black locust false acacia, laburnum, oleander, daphne, lilac, hydrangea, holly, yew, cherry laurel, cotoneaster, pyracantha, spurge, boxwoods, azaleas, and rhododendrons. particular attention to their sap and seeds.
- Among the herbaceous perennials and annuals: primrose, columbine, anemone, monkshood, foxglove, pink, buttercup, datura, castor. particular attention to the rhizomes cyclamen, lilies, and iris.
- Among the flower bulbs: arum, tulip, hyacinth, narcissus and daffodil, crocus, crocuses, amaryllis, Hippeastrum, Clivia, Crinum, snowdrops.
- Among the vines: wisteria, jasmine false Trachelospermum, jasmine, morning glory, clematis, ivy, honeysuckle.
- Among the plants from the garden: the bulbs of garlic, onion, and shallot are toxic to animals, as well as citrus, avocados, cabbage, beans, raw beans, raw eggplant, parsley, physalis, peppers, leeks, rhubarb, saffron, green tomatoes, apricot kernels, almonds, apple seeds. Caution when cooking!
Did you know? Chocolate is deadly to cats, dogs and small rodents such as rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters … Never give to your pet.
Toxic houseplants
Make sure you know the names of all the plants that you have at home. Place the smaller subjects in height, they are not accessible to animals and small children. If you have small animals, do not let plants in the same room. Wash your hands after touching a plant. A cut flower is still toxic, beware of animals that drink water from vases! Bonsai are as toxic as the trees and plants from which they come. It is the sap of plants that cause the most damage: chewing on the leaves and stems, animals make contact with latex tissues causing irritation to the mouth, then touching the pharynx (respiratory problems) stomach (vomiting) but also the skin and the cornea of the eye in case of splashes.
Here is the partial list of the most toxic of our domestic plants:
- Dieffenbachia
- Alocasia Anthurium
- Caladium
- Monstera deliciosa
- Philodendron
- Zantedeschia
- Ficus
- Chlorophytum
- sansevière
- Yucca
- Croton
- Poinsettia
- love apple (Solanum capsicastrum) Syngonium.
Wild poisonous plants
Keep your dog always in sight, watch the puppies. Do not let them chew on plants, even known (they may have received a chemical treatment).
Here is the partial list of the most poisonous wild plants:
- Solomon’s Seal
- black nightshade
- datura
- belladonna
- tobacco
- nettle
- purple mountain
- poison hemlock
- buttercup
- mistletoe (Viscum album)
- some fungi
Is Solomon’s seal poisonous to dogs
The Seal of Solomon (Polygonatum multiflorum) is a plant of the lily family, perennial, hairless that can reach 80 cm. Poisoning is done by ingestion of leaves and flowers (in May) or berries (in autumn). This plant can be found in dry woods, on calcareous or alkaline soils and flowers from May to June.
The intoxication mainly concerns dogs, but also other pets. All parts of the plant contain ubstances that irritate the digestive tract (calcium oxalate) as well as haemolytic substances (saponins). Berries also contain derivatives that are toxic to the heart (cardiotoxic heterosides). Raw fruit can therefore cause digestive and cardiac disorders and lead to hypoglycaemia. The faded and dried out seal of Solomon remains toxic.
The disorders begin between 15 minutes and 6 hours after ingestion, by repeated vomiting associated with salivation. Diarrhoea, sometimes haemorrhagic, accompanied by abdominal pain may also be present. In the hours following the digestive symptoms, nervous disorders may appear: convulsions, incoordinated movements, tremors. At the end of the evolution, the animal remains prostrate and lying on its side. The cardiac signs are generally the last to appear (slowing of the heart rate, rhythm disorders) and are only detectable on auscultation.
What to do in case of poisoning (or suspected)
If you observe suspicious behavior and one of its symptoms: vomiting, diarrhea, mouth irritation, cardiac arrhythmias, depression, excitement, convulsion … your pet is probably intoxicated.
What to do? Call the nearest poison control center. Bring the emergency veterinarian with the plant in question. Allow your pet to rest, observe his behavior.
What not to do? Try to treat yourself, give him medicine for humans or animals, do not make a tourniquet, do not induce vomiting, do not give milk.
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