Caution: Poisonous Plants!

Our gardens are green and blooming again, and much of what grows there is potentially dangerous for our four-legged companions. That's why we're providing some tips here for handling plants in a pet household.

What is poisonous?
The list of poisonous garden and ornamental plants is long. Not only lilies of the valley, angel's trumpets, and autumn crocuses are poisonous plants, but also tulips, lilies, boxwood, and ivy can lead to poisoning. You can find a comprehensive overview of many plants and their toxicity to animals on the CliniTox pages of the Institute of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Zurich (www.giftpflanzen.ch).

Who is particularly at risk?
Generally, dogs and cats rarely eat large quantities of poisonous plants. Particularly at risk are young dogs who like to "help" their owners with gardening and, in doing so, nibble on poisonous plants or dig up and eat flower bulbs. Among cats, it is primarily indoor cats who come into contact with plant toxins while playing with houseplants or flower bouquets.

How to prevent?
Houseplants and balcony plants, as well as flower bouquets, must be placed out of reach of dogs and cats. It is often recommended to completely avoid poisonous plants in the garden, which is difficult given the long list of toxic plants! In any case, you should not let your young dog play unsupervised in a garden with poisonous plants. If you cannot always keep an eye on him, set up a secure puppy enclosure that prevents him from accessing the poisonous plants.

What to do if your pet has eaten plants?

• If you catch your pet in the act, immediately remove all plant parts from them and save them. If symptoms of poisoning occur, leaves, flowers, and stems can be useful for identifying the plant.
• If you are unsure whether the ingested plant is poisonous, contact your veterinarian or consult the CliniTox pages online (www.giftpflanzen.ch).
• If your pet has eaten a poisonous plant or if symptoms of poisoning such as gagging, drooling, vomiting, or diarrhea occur, it must be taken to a veterinary practice immediately. If convulsions, movement disorders, shortness of breath, or listlessness occur, it is an absolute emergency!
• Stay as calm as possible yourself so that you don't stress your pet even more, and take the nibbled plant parts with you to the practice.
• Do not try to make your pet vomit, and do not administer milk, protein, or vegetable oils.

In an emergency:

• Always contact your veterinarian or the local emergency service first!
• You can also get useful information by calling the Tox-Info-Suisse emergency number: 145