Gardeners beware!

Posted 5/11/22

I love spring and summer.  As soon as the weather breaks, you can find me in my yard.  It is so relaxing and rewarding to weed, rake and clean up the damage from the fall and winter …

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Gardeners beware!

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I love spring and summer.  As soon as the weather breaks, you can find me in my yard.  It is so relaxing and rewarding to weed, rake and clean up the damage from the fall and winter weather.  I often bring my dog, Lucas out with me.  He loves the sun and running around the yard.

Several weeks ago, I had a big scare.  We came in and we were sitting on the couch.  I noticed he was shaking.  It got worse very quickly.  He couldn’t walk and I noticed his eyes were dilated.  He vomited and then after about five minutes, it ended.  I didn’t know what it was and of course immediately went to Doctor Google.  I don’t know what we did without this instant source of information.  I found out that there are many common plants that are poisonous to animals.

 If eaten, they can cause a variety of complications.  Vomiting, diarrhea, and seizures are common.  Depending on the plant and how much they ingest it could get as bad as liver and kidney failure, tremors and even death.  After learning this I started watching where my dog went in the yard.  I was shocked to see that in fact he would go to some plants and nibble on them.  There are several reasons why.

Sometimes it could be that they are nauseous or gassy and trying to self-medicate.  It could be as simple as they are bored, or the plant tastes good.  Regardless of the reason it is important to guard your animals from poisonous plants.  You can remove them from the yard or put a fence around them. Here are some common plants to watch out for.  Chrysanthemums, Daffodils, Tulips and English Ivy pose a mild to moderate threat.  Lily of the Valley and Oleander can cause a moderate to severe threat.  A lot depends on the size of your dog and how much he ingests.  If you notice any of the symptoms I described, immediately flush your pet’s mouth out with tepid water for about 15/20 minutes.  Using a spray nozzle, point it at the back of their throat.  If the symptoms persist, then it’s time to call your vet.  I’m careful when my Lucas is in the yard and luckily haven’t had another incident.  I put him on a lead so I know exactly what plants he can reach.   To learn if you have poisonous plants in your yard, simply identify your plants and plug them into whatever browser your use.  The information is readily available and can save your dog’s life.

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