Navigating Indoor Plants With Pets

Having indoor plants is a wonderful way to work on your green thumb while also enjoying all-natural air filtration benefits. As an added benefit, plants are also beautiful and truly make an impact as part of your décor. However, for pet owners, indoor plants can pose a potential danger as well. Many cats and dogs like to nibble on the greenery or fallen leaves, and some plants can be highly poisonous and even deadly if consumed. Because of this, it is imperative that households with pets choose their plants wisely, while also placing certain plants in areas away from temptation (many people think that their pets will instinctively avoid toxic plants, but this just isn’t the case). Keep reading to learn more about pet-safe plants for your house, while also learning about some plants that you should avoid at all costs.

Photo courtesy of @ranasaysbe on Instagram

PET SAFE PLANTS Households with pets will love this selection of plants. While you may not want your pets to consider your plants their own personal salad bar, these plants are all safe if your 4-legged companion chooses to munch on them. Refer to the tags when you are shopping for plants, many nurseries will indicate pet-safe plants on the plants themselves, often with a paw print icon or something similar. l Areca Palms l Basil l Bird’s Nest Ferns l Boston Ferns l Bromeliads l Calatheas l Chinese Money Plants l Date Palms/

Robellini Palms

l Echeverias l Gloxinias l Haworthia l Money Trees l Mosaic Plants l Orchids l Parlor Palms l Peperomias l Pony Tail Palms l Prayer Plants l Purple Waffle Plants l Rattlesnake Plants l Royal Velvet Plants l Rosemary l Spider Plants l Staghorn Ferns l Thyme l Venus Fly Traps

PLANTS THAT ARE TOXIC IN LARGE QUANTITIES Some plants are only toxic if your pet ingests them in high quantities. Many pet-owning households still successfully own these plants, but they require a bit more attention. Place these plants in areas away from heavy pet traffic and monitor them closely. If you find that your pets are eating these plants, move them to a more difficult-to-reach area or remove them from your house immediately. l Asparagus Ferns l Chinese Evergreens l Chrysanthemums l Daisies l Fiddle-Leaf

Philodendron

l Geraniums l Kalanchoes l Lavender l Morning Glories l Peonies l Polka Dot Plants l Rubber Tree Plants l Strelitzias l Swiss Cheese

Plants

EXTREMELY TOXIC PLANTS Some plants are highly poisonous to pets and are best kept away from your household. If consumed, these plants can have disastrous effects on your pets, from digestive upsets and seizures to fatalities. It is not only the leaves and flowers of these plants that can cause trouble, many times even the pollen and the roots can prove to be dangerous. In addition to the plants, use caution when bringing cut flowers into your home, as some of these flowering plants are commonly seen in store-bought bouquets.

l Aloe Vera Plants: When the leaves are eaten, it can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy. The gel and juice of the plant are edible, however. l Autumn Crocus: Symptoms of ingestion include diarrhea, shock, bloody vomit, multi-organ damage, and bone marrow suppression/damage. l Azaleas: Highly toxic, azaleas can cause vomiting, diarrhea, muscle weakness, and cardiac failure. l Begonias: If eaten, begonias can cause vomiting and excess salivation. The most toxic part of the plant is the roots l Calla Lilies: These beautiful flowers can cause oral irritation; intense burning of the mouth; irritation of mouth, tongue, and lips; excessive drooling; vomiting, and difficulty swallowing. l Cannabis: Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in cannabis can cause depression, vomiting, incoordination, sleepiness, hypersalivation, dilated pupils, low blood pressure, low body temperature, seizure, and even coma or death. It is important to note that Cannabidiol (CBD)-based products that do not contain THC are extremely beneficial and not at all harmful to dogs or cats. l Cyclamen: If your pet eats the leaves or flowers, they are at risk for excess salivation, vomiting, and diarrhea. If they eat the tubers (roots), they are at risk for heart rhythm abnormalities, seizures, and in extreme cases, death. 34 4 Legs & a Tail l Daffodils: Small amounts of ingestion can lead to vomiting, salvation, and diarrhea. If your pet eats large amounts it may cause convulsions, low blood pressure, muscle tremors, and cardiac arrhythmias.

The bulbs are the most poisonous part of the plant. l Devil’s Ivy/Golden Pothos: If your pet eats this popular house plant, it can lead to oral irritation (including pain and swelling of mouth, tongue, and lips,) excessive drooling, vomiting, and difficulty swallowing. l Dieffenbachias: When eaten, Dieffenbachias can cause oral irritation, intense burning of the mouth, excessive drooling, vomiting, and difficulty swallowing. l Easter Lilies: These plants are only toxic to cats, they do not affect dogs. In cats, they cause vomiting, inappetence, lethargy, kidney failure, and death is possible. l English Ivy: Eating English Ivy causes vomiting, abdominal pain, hypersalivation, and diarrhea. The decorative foliage is more toxic than berries. l Fox Gloves: Highly toxic, eating just a small amount of Fox Glove can cause cardiac arrhythmias, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, cardiac failure, and death. Winter 2023

l Hyacinths: This popular spring house plant can cause intense vomiting, diarrhea, depression, and muscle tremors. l Iris: Eating the rhizomes (roots) of an iris plant can cause salivation, vomiting, drooling, lethargy, and diarrhea. l Lantana: This plant is known to cause vomiting, diarrhea, labored breathing, weakness. Liver failure is also a possibility, although this is more common in livestock. l Lily of the Valleys: Eating this perennial plant can cause vomiting, an irregular heartbeat, low blood pressure, comas, and seizures. l Japanese Yews: Extremely dangerous, Japanese Yew can cause tremors, difficulty breathing, vomiting, and sudden death from acute heart failure. Early signs of canine ingestion include muscular tremors, dyspnea, seizures. l Peace Lilies: Eating even small amounts of this house plant can cause intense burning and irritation of the mouth, tongue, and lips; excessive drooling; vomiting; and difficulty swallowing. l Oleanders: Ingestion of this shrug can lead to drooling, abdominal pain, diarrhea, depression, and, in extreme cases, death. l Sago Palms: Highly toxic, these large, ornamental plants can cause vomiting, increased thirst, liver damage, liver failure, and death. l Tiger Lilies: Only poisonous to cats, these flowers cause vomiting, inappetence, lethargy, kidney failure, and possibly death for our feline friends. l Tulips: Eating these plants, particularly the bulbs, can cause vomiting, depression, diarrhea, and excess salivation. l Weeping Figs: Skin contact can cause dermatitis. If ingested, it can lead to oral irritation, excessive drooling, and vomiting.

Sometimes, it makes sense to give your canine and feline companion a plant all their own! Many cats and dogs enjoy eating plants, and evidence has demonstrated that fresh greenery is healthy for their digestive systems and also provides mental stimulation. Try growing cat grass, such as the Van Ness Oat Garden Kit, which is both quick-growing and attractive to pets. As with any new treat or foodstuff, be sure to monitor your pet while they have access to the grass and only allow them to consume it in moderation.

Oat grass is proven to help freshen cats’ breath as well as to alleviate digestive problems associated with hairballs.

Van Ness Oat Garden Kit

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR PET EATS A TOXIC PLANT

Sometimes, despite our best efforts, our pets get into things that they should not. If you suspect that your pet has eaten a toxic plant, you need to work quickly for the best possible outcome to occur. Call your veterinarian immediately for advice, most likely they will have instructions for you prior to bringing your pet to see them. Never induce vomiting unless you are instructed to do so by your veterinarian. If you are unable to get in touch with your veterinarian, contact the Pet Poison Helpline (855-764-7661) for expert advice (Fees apply).

Adding plants to your home can be rewarding, beautiful, and even beneficial. However, it is important to plan ahead to prevent potentially tragic events from occurring. Choosing pet-safe plants and keeping toxic plants away from your beloved pets means that everyone in your house will breathe a little easier.

This post is only meant to be used as a reference guide and is not an exhaustive list. Please speak with your veterinarian prior to bringing any new plants into your household because they are familiar with your pet and their individual needs.