As spring arrives, heralding time for rejuvenation and growth, you may feel the urge to clean out clutter from your home and plant your garden. These two perfect spring activities can fill you with excitement for the upcoming season, but a word of caution—watch out for springtime items and plants that are toxic to pets. As your four-legged friend follows behind you, helping you wash windows, shampoo carpets, and dig flower beds, they can be exposed to hazardous substances. To enjoy this fresh spring season to its utmost, protect your pet from toxic plants and chemicals.

Plants toxic to pets

Nothing brightens up springtime more than fresh blossoms bursting forth from a well-tended flower bed. However, your garden can contain several plants and products that could harm your pet, including:

  • Tulips and hyacinth — The toxic portion of these plants is concentrated in the bulbs versus the leaf or flower, so prevent your pet from digging up the bulbs. When your pet chews the plant parts or bulbs, oral and esophageal irritation can result. Typically, you’ll see profuse drooling, vomiting, and diarrhea. If they consume large amounts, you may notice an increased heart rate and respiratory changes.
  • Daffodils — Daffodils contain an alkaloid compound with strong emetic properties. Ingestion of any plant part triggers severe vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and potentially cardiac arrhythmias or respiratory depression.
  • Lilies — Peace, Peruvian, and calla lilies, which are more benign flowers than true lilies, cause only minor drooling, but true lilies, which include tiger, day, Asiatic, Easter, and Japanese show lilies, are potentially fatal for cats. Ingestion of only two or three petals or leaves, or the vase water, can result in severe kidney failure.
  • Crocus — The crocus that blooms in the spring is more common, and causes only general gastrointestinal upset when ingested. The autumn crocus, on the other hand, is highly toxic, and can cause severe vomiting, gastrointestinal bleeding, liver and kidney damage, and respiratory failure. Signs may be seen immediately, or delayed for days.
  • Lily of the valley — Ingestion of this plant can cause vomiting, diarrhea, a drop in heart rate, severe cardiac arrhythmias, and possibly seizures.
  • Fertilizers — Fertilizers can contain blood meal, bone meal, organophosphates, or iron, which can be toxic to pets. Vomiting, diarrhea, pancreatitis, salivation, tearing, urination, defecation, seizures, and cardiac and respiratory effects are potential side effects from ingesting fertilizers that contain these ingredients.
  • Insecticides and pesticides — Most insecticides or pesticides that come in spray cans are only irritants and not a huge concern. However, some contain organophosphates, which can be life-threatening to pets when consumed in large quantities.

To determine if your planned plantings should be kept out of paws’ reach, check the ASPCA’s list of toxic and non-toxic plants.

Springtime products that are toxic to pets

As freshness fills the air during the season of renewal, there’s no better time to clean your home from top to bottom. However, many ingredients in cleaning chemicals are toxic to pets. Cleaning products to keep away from your pet include:

  • Bleach — Bleach, which contains chlorine, is found in basic laundry and dishwashing detergents, toilet bowl cleaners, and all-purpose cleaners. Bleach ingestion can result in oral ulcerations, drooling, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
  • Ammonia — Cleaning solutions for ovens, windows, stainless steel, and floor wax contain ammonia. This chemical can burn the mucous membranes in the lungs, and, when mixed with bleach, can create a deadly poisonous gas. Ammonia toxicity signs include loss of appetite, irritability, confusion, lethargy, aggression, seizures, and coma.
  • Glycol ethers — Glycol ethers are found in liquid soap, spot removers, carpet cleaners, and glass cleaners, as well as some “natural” home cleaning solutions. Glycol ethers may lead to liver, kidney, and nerve damage, in addition to gastrointestinal issues.

Before starting your spring cleaning, check the ingredients in your cleaning products, to ensure they’re safe for use around pets. A good rule to follow is to keep your pet out of the room you are cleaning until the product, like carpet shampoo or floor cleaner, has fully dried.

What to do if your pet has been exposed to a toxin

Toxin exposure can be deadly for your pet. If you suspect your furry pal ingested or came in contact with a potential poison, don’t delay—contact an animal poison control hotline immediately for advice. The expert team of veterinary toxicologists at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) will inform you on the proper steps, which may include making your pet vomit, flushing the affected area with water, or heading to your closest emergency veterinary hospital. In addition, they will give you a case number that details your pet’s treatment plan, which you should keep handy when you arrive at Narcoossee Oaks Animal Hospital. Our veterinarians will reference your case number when discussing your pet’s treatment plan with poison control, which will save valuable time in an emergency.
If your pet has been exposed to a toxin, contact our team at Narcoossee Oaks Animal Hospital immediately, to let us know you’re on your way for treatment.