Caring for dogs and toxic plants

The most flowery season of the year started yesterday and continues until December 23rd. The period is mainly expected by those who love flowers and plants at home, but for parents and mothers of pets, having plants and animals in the same environment can cause concern. According to veterinarian Amanda Peres, from DogHero, there is a good amount of toxic plants for dogs that can harm the health of the little animals and even lead them to death.

Generally the dog will stay away from toxic plants. But out of curiosity — especially the puppies — or even out of boredom, pets may end up eating some of these plants and end up intoxicated. All plants toxic to animals have an active ingredient that causes irritation and a burning sensation in the mouth, tongue and lips, excessive salivation, vomiting and difficulty swallowing. Also, contact with the eyes can cause tearing and sensitivity to light.

According to the professional, the most common toxic plants for dogs are: anthurium, with me-no-one-can, adam’s rib, São Jorge’s sword, boa constrictor, azalea, oleander, begonia, aloe vera, parrot’s beak, dama da da night, hibiscus, hydrangea, fern and tulip.

“Ideally, the pet’s father and mother research about poisonous plants and what are the main risks to their dog’s health. If the tutor discovers that he already has a toxic plant at home, he must keep it out of reach of the little animal. One option is to place the vase on a shelf, in higher places so that the pet does not have access”, comments the veterinarian.

If the pet ends up eating the toxic plant, it will show symptoms such as vomiting, malaise, diarrhea and nausea. As soon as the tutor realizes that the pet has been poisoned, the best thing to do is to clean its mouth with hot water to remove any plant or sap residues that remained in the area.

«The tutor should never induce vomiting or offer the puppy something to eat or drink, not even water or milk – as many tutors usually do», warns the veterinarian. Then, the tutor should immediately look for the trusted veterinarian and take a photo or sample of the plant that the pet ingested, so the specialist will recognize the plant that caused intoxication to guide the best treatment.