Spring Safety

The season of renewal can be perilous for pets. Household poisons come in the form of pretty plants, tasty (human) treats and more

By Dr. Marty Becker
Andrews McMeel Syndication

Is your home ready for spring?

If you live with dogs, cats or other pets, you may need to do some extra preparation to ensure their safety as your garden comes to life, your home fills with flowers for spring holidays, and you or your neighbors fight off unwelcome spring guests such as rodents and external parasites. Here’s what you should know about preventing pet poisoning from common plants and products.

Lilies are lovely, but they can be fatal to cats. A cat who eats any part of a lily — flowers, leaves, stems, pollen — or drinks water in a vase of lilies can develop fatal kidney failure. Don’t plant lilies in your yard if you have outdoor cats, and don’t accept them into your home if you receive a bouquet for Easter or your birthday. Give them to a friend or family member whose home is cat-free.

Other common spring plants that can be toxic to pets include bulbs such as daffodils and tulips. Pets who eat the tops or flowers of bulbs usually suffer only mild stomach upset, but if they eat the bulb itself, the result can be bloody vomiting and diarrhea and low blood pressure.

Cats are also sensitive to certain flea- and tick-control products, especially those made for dogs. Never give your dog’s parasite-prevention products to your cat, thinking that she’ll be safe if you just use a little less. Feline physiology is not the same as that of a dog or human. Cats respond in different ways to certain chemicals, so it’s important to purchase parasite preventives made specifically for them.

What about dogs?

We all know that they are indiscriminate eaters, willing to chow down on whatever they come across in the hope that it’s edible. Check labels to make sure food items such as baked goods, candy, chewing gum and even peanut butter aren’t sweetened with xylitol. Pets, including cats, who ingest xylitol-sweetened items show signs such as vomiting, sudden and life-threatening low blood sugar, and liver failure. If your dog considers himself a professional taste-tester, read labels carefully, and keep these items well out of his reach.

Chocolate Easter bunnies and eggs, especially those made with dark chocolate, can be toxic to pets. Chocolate contains a compound called theobromine that is harmful to dogs, cats and parrots. Baker’s and dark chocolate have the highest concentrations of theobromine and can cause vomiting, diarrhea and seizures, depending on the size of the animal and how much he eats. Take your pet to the vet if you find evidence that he has broken into your chocolate stash.

If you are a savvy pet owner, you probably avoid putting out mouse or rat poison for fear that your pet will ingest it, but neighbors or family members you visit might not be so careful. Ask if they have put out any bait traps, where they are and if they’d be willing to take them up while your pet is there. Poisoning from rodenticides containing anticoagulants is treatable with blood transfusions and vitamin K if the poisoning is caught in time, but alternative poisons that contain a neurotoxin called bromethalin are more harmful to pets and have no antidote.

Finally, for many people, spring means allergy season. Human medications are the number-one reason for calls to animal poison control hotlines. Decongestants can be deadly to pets who accidentally ingest them. They can cause vomiting, high blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythms, tremors and seizures. Seek veterinary help immediately if you discover your pet has ingested these types of drugs. Remember, it takes dogs only about 15 seconds to break into a childproof bottle.