Our four-legged friends are curious and love to discover and taste new flavors. They may therefore chew on the plants you have in your home. However, some plants are toxic to dogs and cats and can therefore be dangerous for their health. Discover through this guide the plants to avoid to take care of your furry friend and the advice to follow in case of poisoning.

Toxic plants for our furry friends

Both dogs and cats may tend to chew or lick the plants you have in your home or outdoors. While some are completely harmless to them, others can have more or less severe effects on their health. Animals can suffer from kidney and digestive damage, skin irritations, vomiting, neurological disorders, mouth irritations, or even cardiac problems. These various disorders can appear following the ingestion of toxic plants but also following physical contact with them.

As a general rule, do not hesitate to favor insect protein for your furry friend's kibble to reduce the risk of allergies. This is very digestible and is particularly recommended for the most sensitive animals. Protect your companion from toxic plants and go a step further to take care of their health from the inside: explore Tomojo kibble formulated to strengthen their overall well-being.

So to prevent these risks, check out this non-exhaustive list of plants toxic to dogs and cats:

1 - Hydrangea

Hydrangea is a small plant made up of woody stems, leaves, and large fragrant inflorescences. What's important to know about this beautiful plant is that each of its parts are toxic to dogs and cats, especially the leaves and flower buds. Signs of poisoning from this plant include hypersalivation, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. If your cat or dog ingests a large amount, cardiac and nervous disorders may also appear.

2 - Cycas

Cycas is a slow-growing tree that resembles a small palm tree. Native to tropical and subtropical areas of Africa and Asia, it can often be seen in gardens. It is generally dogs that suffer from the toxicity of this plant. This is due to the ingestion of its seeds or leaves. Indeed, these are composed of cycasin and 2-amino-3-propanoic acid which are very toxic to the liver. One to two ingested seeds can kill a small dog. Symptoms generally appear between 1 hour and 2-3 days after ingestion and are characterized by vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, followed by tremors and gait disorders. Finally, jaundice appears with a yellow coloring of the mucous membranes of the eyes and mouth, sometimes accompanied by bleeding due to a coagulation problem.

3 - Oak and Acorns

There is a wide variety of oaks in the world that are more or less toxic depending on the species. In France, we find cork oak, holm oak, downy oak, pedunculate oak, sessile oak, and common oak. These last three, found in plains and up to medium mountains, are particularly toxic to animals. More than cats, it is dogs that can become intoxicated by gobbling up acorns as a game or out of gluttony. Green acorns are more toxic than ripe acorns. This is due to tannins that release pyrogallol by hydrolysis. This substance is generally toxic to the kidneys but affects the liver more in dogs. Symptoms of acorn poisoning are mainly manifested by vomiting, constipation, and then diarrhea. It is important to prevent your dog from playing with acorns in your garden or on walks.

4 - Boxwood

Boxwood is a bushy shrub often present in hedges and borders due to its dense foliage. Although found everywhere in town and country, this shrub is nevertheless toxic to animals. All parts of this plant contain toxic alkaloid substances, which have a paralyzing action. Symptoms of its intoxication appear within hours of ingestion. These are mainly digestive signs, such as vomiting or diarrhea. In the most severe cases, neurological disorders may appear, such as convulsions or paralysis. The bitter taste of boxwood generally repels animals, but vigilance is required. Indeed, a few grams of leaves can be fatal for a small dog. So during your walks, be careful about what your furry friend swallows and if in doubt, contact a veterinarian.

5 - Lily of the Valley

Lily of the valley is a beautiful plant from the lily family, which is celebrated every May 1st. Although it seems harmless, this plant can lead to fatal poisoning for dogs and especially for cats. Poisoning occurs through ingestion, causing irritation of the digestive tract and damage to the heart due to cardiotoxic glycosides. It is important to know that all parts of this plant are toxic, even the water in the vase. Symptoms of poisoning appear between 15 minutes and 6 hours after ingesting lily of the valley. They are characterized by repeated vomiting and diarrhea, which may be accompanied by abdominal pain. After these digestive problems, neurological problems generally appear, such as convulsions or tremors. Finally, cardiac signs may appear, including a decrease in heart rate, but this can only be detected by auscultation.

6 - Oleander

Oleander is a shrub 2 to 4m high, flowering from June to September with pink or sometimes red flowers. It is necessary to know that the entire oleander is toxic. Whether it's the leaves, flowers, wood or even the sap, their ingestion poses a danger to dogs and cats. Even chewing the leaves or drinking water in contact with the plant can be toxic. 2 to 3 ingested leaves can indeed kill a 10kg dog. The symptoms of oleander poisoning will be mainly digestive, nervous and cardiac. Dogs and cats generally experience nausea 2 hours after ingesting oleander and this for several days. They also have abdominal pain and diarrhea which can be hemorrhagic. In the following 3 days, the animal may also show tremors, loss of balance and convulsions.

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What to do in case of poisoning?

If you have seen your dog or cat eat a toxic plant, you will need to apply the 3T rule:

• Time: don't wait and act quickly
• Telephone: call your veterinarian or an emergency veterinary service
• Toxic: indicate the plant, quantity, and time of ingestion

You should therefore contact your veterinarian very quickly as soon as you have a doubt about poisoning - seeing your animal eat it or the appearance of the symptoms described above -. They will be able to assess the seriousness of the situation and decide on the measures to be taken. They can also determine if it is plant poisoning or another illness that could affect your dog or cat. Do not give food or drink without veterinary prescription. Do not try to make them vomit or treat them with medications you have at home. Also try not to disturb your animal. It is best to let them rest and observe them.

 

To avoid any unnecessary risks, it is therefore important to know the plants you have at home. It is advisable not to own highly toxic plants when you have an animal, or to put them out of reach so that they cannot access them. Be careful with resin plants when they shed their leaves or when you prune them, as this can be dangerous for your animal who can more easily come into contact with them. The same applies to cut flowers. Finally, remember to wash your hands after touching a plant to limit the risks. As a reminder, the list of toxic plants for dogs and cats above is not exhaustive.