14 Common Plants to Keep Your Pets Away From

14 Common Plants to Keep Your Pets Away From Pets give us unconditional love, protect our homes, entertain us and simply make life better.  If you love your pets (which I’m sure you do), you should know that there are common houseplants which can be highly toxic for them:

1. Hosta – Beautiful and green with big meaty leaves, Hostas are used for their decorative properties. Just don’t let your dog or cat munch on them – they can cause vomiting, diarrhea and depression.

2. Lilies - These delicate water-plants - while a wonderful decoration - are extremely poisonous to cats and can cause severe kidney failure.

3. Morning Glory – Quite common and with a variety of colors, they are also a powerful hallucinogenic for cats, and can cause gastrointestinal upset, tremors, disorientation, agitation, ataxia and anorexia.

4. Pothos – While not the most toxic plant on the list, it should be mentioned since it can be found in many homes. Its effects on dogs and cats include excessive drooling, vomiting, oral irritation, intense burning of mouth, tongue & lips, and difficulty swallowing.

5. Tomato Plant – The tomato is a member of the nightshade family and as such, the plant is usually toxic. While not too likely to prove fatal, your cat or dog might suffer from weakness, dilated pupils, slow heart rate, hypersalivation, severe gastrointestinal upset, diarrhea, drowsiness as well as depression & confusion.

6. Tulip & Narcissus – Is your dog a digger? If so, you should be careful about planting these flowers in your garden. The bulbs of these plants are highly toxic and can cause cardiac abnormalities, intense gastrointestinal irritation, drooling, loss of appetite, convulsions and depression of the central nervous system.

7. Begonia – A common decorative plant, usually potted – it’s actually quite toxic for cats and dogs, and can cause intense burning and irritation of mouth, tongue & lips, excessive drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing.

8. Carnations – Not the worst of the bunch by far, but still worth noting as they’re very common in flower arrangements. They can cause mild dermatitis & gastrointestinal irritation.

9. Chrysanthemum – Not likely to kill your pets, but can cause vomiting, diarrhea, dermatitis & hypersalivation. If enough of the plant was consumed, it can lead to a loss of coordination as well as depression.

10. Cyclamen – Decorative and with quite a unique shape, cyclamen are one of my favorite, yet is very dangerous for dogs and cats alike. Each part of the plant is toxic, but the roots are the most toxic part. Consumption can cause severe gastrointestinal irritation, accompanied by vomiting and may even lead to death.

11. Gladiola – Very popular in flower arrangements, it also is quite common in gardens. The part that is mainly toxic is the bulb of the plant, which can cause salivation, drooling, vomiting, diarrhea & lethargy in both dogs and cats.

12. Milkweed – The favorite food of the Monarch butterfly, is also incredibly dangerous for your pets! Ingestion can lead to vomiting, weakness, profound depression, anorexia and diarrhea. It may be followed by difficulty breathing, rapid & weak pulse, seizures, dilated pupils, respiratory paralysis, kidney/liver failure, coma and death.

13. Bird of Paradise – Beautiful and exotic, its seeds and fruit are toxic for cats and dogs. Ingestion symptoms include vomiting, nausea and drowsiness.

14. Daisy – It blooms during the summer and can be found everywhere. Both dogs and cats should be kept away, as eating it will cause vomiting, diarrhea, hypersalivation, incoordination & dermatitis.

If you noticed that your pet consumed any of these plants, contact your local veterinarian or Animal Poison Control center immediately.