Outdoor Plants that Are Dangerous to Your Pets

When we own pets, it's very important to know about the plants we grow in our yards and whether or not they can harm or be fatal to our furry friends. There are several plants that are poisonous to our cats and dogs.

Tiger lilies are beautiful plants but are among the most poisonous plants for our cats. Jasmine contains the worst poison for our dogs. Even though my cats are indoor pets, one of them in particular is able to speed out the door as fast as a bolt of lightening as soon as the door opens. He also will chew on and attempt to digest anything, moving or stationary. My belief is that he has used up his 9 lives and somehow has managed to make a deal along the way. I didn't think a cat could eat insulation and still remain alive.

When I decided to put in some plants outside, I kept him in mind because I knew it was inevitable that he would eventually be munching on one thing or another out there. I chose things that I knew wouldn't harm his tummy, even though I swear this cat has a stomach of steel.

I will go over the list of poisonous plants that are especially harmful to your dog. The asparagus fern will cause vomiting, kidney failure, abdominal pain, respiratory problems, and tremors in your dog. Plants like the caladium, elephant's ear, Dieffenbachia, poinsettia, mum, philodendron, umbrella plant, and mistletoe are equally as dangerous. The common side effects your dog will experience from these are things like mouth irritation, mouth swelling, stomach upset, asphyxiation, seizures, tremors, vomiting, skin irritation, and even death. Although aloe vera can be wonderful for our skin, it does not have the same sooting effect on your dog's stomach and can give him diarrhea.

There are certain vines and trees that can cause your dog to go into shock. These trees and vines can cause mouth inflammation, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, rapid increase in breathing, convulsions, asphyxiation, hyperactivity, excessive drooling (I know...with some dogs, how can you tell??), fever, pupil dilation, and death. The list of these vines and trees is as follows: Virginia Creeper, English Ivy, Devil's Ivy, oak, Ficus lyrata, cherry, Ficus, wild cherry, almond, apricot, peach, Japanese plum, matrimony vine, jasmine, balsam pear, yew, and apple.

Even though your kitty will not usually eat anything more than grass outside, which we have established is certainly not true for my cat, there are plants your cat may nibble on that can be harmful to him. Azaleas are toxic to your cat. The leaves and stems of the chrysanthemum are toxic by way of causing dermatitis. Most of the time, just the smell of the chrysanthemum is enough to keep cats away. Daffodils, hydrangeas, and the iris can give your cat stomach pains, vomiting, diarrhea, and weakness.

Ivy is the the one to be extremely cautious of. It can cause serious tummy troubles, breathing difficulty, coma, or death. The pods and seeds of wisteria can cause vomiting, dehydration, diarrhea, and collapse. Of course, as mentioned in the beginning, the ingestion of any part of the tiger lily can ultimately lead to death.

When my cat became lethargic one day I started to get very concerned, because it was not like him to ever take a break from creating havoc all around. Then he got up and made his way slowly to the kitchen and proceeded to projectile vomit the grossest substance I've personally ever smelled. After spending a half hour cleaning up the floor and nearly losing my lunch several times, I survived it, and thankfully he felt better in a day. I don't know what in the world he had gotten into that time, but I took steps to block off things I thought might have caused his intestinal distress. The best thing to do if you suspect your pet has gotten into a poisonous plant is take them to the veterinarian.