Dr.Walt's happy tails: April 2002

The Doctor is In @ drwalt@petcareinsurance.com
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Dear Dr. Walt: I've heard that onions are poisonous for cats and dogs. I just wanted to know if chives are as well because my cats absolutely love them!

You raise a very important and timely question – in essence, what common plants, whether ornamental, garden, or used for cooking, can be harmful to our pets? We often have the false perception that animals can differentiate between poisonous and nonpoisonous plants thereby avoiding illness – not so! This is compounded by our desire to decorate the home and garden with attractive plants and, at times, allow our pets to munch on them safe in the belief that, if it is natural, it can't be harmful for them.

While this holds true for most plants, it cannot be applied to all plants. Chives and garlic are members of the onion family and, as such, can be very harmful to both cats and dogs as this family of plants has been known to cause the breakdown of red blood cells that may also lead to kidney failure. While fine for us, these plants and their by-products should be kept away from our pets.

Some other common indoor plants to be cautious of where our pets are concerned and the area of the body they affect include:

• Kidney failure – Easter lilies (hence the timely nature of your question!) especially in cats.
  
• Heart irregularities – potatoes (green growths and sprouts making the compost pile off-limits); hydrangea.
  
• Neurological (such as seizures) – poppy; tulip; yellow iris; cyclamen; holly; ivy.
  
• Bowel or gastrointestinal upset – many different plants but some of the more serious symptoms can occur with mistletoe, hydrangea, ivy, poinsettia, tulip, cyclamen, daffodil, yellow iris, and holly.
  

Also be cautious of administering herbal remedies to our pets; despite their frequent use in people, they can be harmful to our pets. Problems can occur with the ingestion of aloe and witch hazel (bowel upset); camphor and wormwood (neurological); nux vomica; oil of wintergreen (especially in cats); pennyroyal; and sassafras (especially in cats).

Another use of some ornamental plants is in arts & crafts. In this regard, castor beans are often used and can be extremely toxic if ingested.

The above information is not meant to be a deterrent to plant ownership nor to suggest that if you have any of these plants that they should be removed. It is simply meant to educate pet owners that there is a possibility of health problems with certain plants, especially if you own a pet that has a habit of being an indoor grazer! Armed with this knowledge, you can then decide whether to have these plants in the home and, if so, how best to avoid problems.

If you would like to provide some plant material for your cat to chew on, consider growing a small plot of grass in your home. Many stores carry the materials to do this and many cats quite enjoy nibbling on grass. While some dogs and cats may vomit following grass ingestion, it is not toxic to them; however, if vomiting is a side-effect in your pet, you may not be able to offer this option either.

For further information on items that may potentially be poisonous to our pets, including symptoms and first aid treatment, visit the American Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals National Animal Poison Control Center website at www.napcc.aspca.org.