Keep your Fur Babies Safe

by Tina Hinze

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 The most dangerous items for your fur baby are inside your home. Most house plans are toxic and deadly for our four-legged friends. Many common plants like Palms, Aloe, Lillies, Ivy, and Snake are the most dangerous house plants for cats and dogs.

While house plants add beauty and provide clean air and reduce carbon dioxide to your home, certain plants can make your pets sick. Our curious indoor pets tend to gravitate toward anything green, so we need to provide a safe living environment. There are over 700 indoor/outdoor plants that contain toxic substances that are not safe for your fur babies. Here’s a list of the most common poisonous houseplants you should avoid or keep out of reach if you have pets.

Palms

Sago palms contain cycasin, which causes gastroenteritis, vomiting, and other symptoms. In severe cases, a pet that eats sago palm could suffer liver damage or even liver failure.

Cardboard Palm needs to be avoided because the cycasin in these plants can cause several serious issues such as hemorrhagic gastroenteritis or liver failure.

Aloe Vera 

Aloe is poisonous to dogs and cats, causing vomiting, diarrhea, and other symptoms.

Lilies

Easter Lily has typically grown outside, and this plant is sometimes given as a springtime gift. Its toxic mechanisms are unknown, but in cats, Easter lilies cause vomiting or, in severe cases, kidney failure.

Mauna Loa “Peace Lily” when ingested, calcium oxalate in this plant cause cats to suffer oral symptoms: burning, drooling, difficulty swallowing, and more.

Ivy 

English Ivy a popular bedding plant in planters, but the leaves, in particular, are toxic. Dogs and cats will experience stomach pain, drooling, vomiting, and diarrhea due to saponins.

Pothos or “Devil’s Ivy” both the stem and the leaves contain insoluble calcium oxalates, which are toxic to dogs.

Snake 

Snake plant, one of the best air purifying plants, is not safe for your pet. They contain a toxic chemical named saponin, which is harmful to dogs. Both dogs and cats should be kept away from snake plants. If your dog consumes any part of the snake plant, it can cause gastrointestinal issues like vomiting, drooling, nausea, and diarrhea.

There are many more toxic plants, indoor and outdoor. It is best to research before introducing a new puppy or kitten into your home. Or, if you have pets, double-check the plant details before bringing them into your pet’s living environment.

So what plants are safe for our fur babies? Spider plants, money trees, some succulents, venus fly trap, Boston fern, and African violet are just some examples. Make to research and confirm with your veterinarian safe house plants.