Poisonous Springtime Plants

"As you head into the garden to plant some bulbs or clip some fresh flowers, it’s important to keep in mind some plants and fertilizers can be toxic to your pet in the springtime. We’ve asked Justine Lee, the associate director of Pet Poison Helpline to share some details on potentially poisonous plants and what to do if your pet ingests one of them.

Poisonous Plants for Dogs

Spring flowers with bulbs like tulips, daffodils, Narcissus and hyacinths can be particularly dangerous to dogs, especially the skin at the bottom of the bulb, Lee said. Whether they dig them up from a garden or snack on some bulbs waiting to be planted, ingesting these flowers in large amounts can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. More severe symptoms as a result of larger ingestions can include increased heart and respiratory rate, foreign body obstructions and, in rare cases, cardiac arrhythmias.

Dogs are more likely to dig up bulbs planted in organic fertilizers, which are more dangerous than other fertilizers, Lee said. While they’re a great natural source of nitrogen and utilize unused animal products, they’re often made of bone, blood or feather meal — an appetizing combination of aromas to a dog that will often eat the fertilizer along with the poisonous bulbs. Organic fertilizers on their own are not life threatening, Lee said, but if ingested in large quantities they can obstruct a dog’s stomach and cause vomiting, diarrhea and pancreatitis.”

http://www.pet360.com/dog/health/poisonous-springtime-plants/dYmSvwJGGEOaiSTSdA4Xqg