A Pet's View / November 2005
Fatal Fall Foliage
Digging in the garden can put a dog in the dog house, but sometimes it can put a dog in the hospital. Many common plants are toxic for canine companions and some can be fatal. For example, all parts of foxglove, especially the seeds, can cause seizures, heart failure and death for dogs.
Bulbs buried in a rich, dark soil can be very inviting to a pet, but Amarylllis bulbs can cause upset stomach, shock, coma and even death to a dog.
Daffodil bulbs, too, can be fatal to dogs.
Eating azaleas can cause a dog to have weakness, upset stomach or drooling. Unfortunately, dogs can’t seem to remember what made them sick, so if there’s an azalea bush in the yard, and a dog that likes the flavor of azaleas, count on frequent upset tummies for the pet. If a large amount is eaten, it can cause coma or heart failure.
Few can find fault with the high color and good taste of Rhubarb, but the leaf blades of rhubarb can cause convulsions, coma or death for a dog.
Poison ivy isn’t too much of a problem for dogs, but many other ivies are quite poisonous for dogs, causing hyperactivity, labored breathing, drooling, fever, dilated pupils or staggering. Sometimes, eating ivy can be fatal for a pooch.
Munching the top growth of buttercups can cause upset stomach in dogs, as can chowing down on morning glory. A pet acting oddly may have tasted the morning glory and tried the periwinkle. Both can cause dogs to have hallucinations.
Eating Poinsettias may cause only mild symptoms in some pups but it can also be fatal. Chrysanthemums can cause skin irritation. Spinach and tomato vine can cause a number of toxic side effects in pets. All parts of Asparagus fern are toxic to dogs. Jasmine is quite dangerous to pets, and can cause seizures, weakness, respiratory failure or death. Larkspur causes excitement or depression for dogs and can be fatal.
A little greenery goes a long way for a dog and these are just a few of the plants that can cause pet owners a lot of grief. Some plants only give symptoms of irritation, but the size of the dog and the amount of the plant eaten affects how toxic any particular plant will be. Be especially careful with puppies in the yard. They can be particularly susceptible to dangerous plants. PL
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