Houseplants serve a variety of functions within your living spaces. They add visual appeal to your home, cleanse your air and could be edible or even medicinal. Some plant species are harmful to your pets and can result in death in the event of their ingestion. Therefore, while choosing a houseplant for your home make sure that it won’t be a risk to your pets. Check here the top 10 poisonous household plants for pets and tips to save your pets from toxic plants.
How Plants Can poison Pets:
-The cause of poisoning is:
-Touching or eating leaves
-Ingesting berries, blossoms, or roots
-Contacting the skin with juices or sap
-Eating soil
-Drinking water from a plant tray.
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The 10 most poisonous houseplants for pets
Sago Palm
Scientific Name: Cycas revoluta; English Name: Sago Palm; Bengali Name: Moniraj Full
Features:
This beautiful plant is among the top choices for landscapers. It is a source of a toxin known as Cycasin that can cause liver problems. Sago palms are poisonous to dogs, cats and cattle.
Toxins: Cycasin; Severity: Extremely High
Key Symptoms:
Vomiting, hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, bleeding, clotting disorder, liver damage, and even death.
Cactus
Scientific Name : Cactaceae; English Name: Cactus; Bengali Name: Foni Monosa
Features:
Cactus species are usually planted as ornamental houseplants. Most plants in this family are poisonous and could pose a danger for pets like dogs and cats because of their thorns and spikes.
Toxins: Different species are prone to various harmful substances. Spikes pose a threat too.
Severity: Moderate to High
Key Symptoms:
Inflammation in the face, injuries.
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Aloe
Scientific Name: Aloe barbadensis miller; English Name: Aloe Vera; Bengali Name: Ghytokumari
Feature:
Aloe vera is a variety of leaf succulents. It has huge medicinal benefits. But it is poisonous to dogs when they consume the plant. There are approximately 500 species that come in a variety of forms, including trees and sometimes vines. The geographic range of species in this category comprises those of the Arabian Peninsula, Africa, South Asia, and Madagascar.
Toxins: Saponins; Severity: Mild to Moderate
Key Symptoms:
Vomiting or diarrhea, changing color of the urine.
Calla Lily
Scientific Name: Zantedeschia; English Name: Calla Lily; Bengali Name: Unknown
Feature:
Calla Lilies are gorgeous. In the same way, they are poisonous plants for dogs and cats. If they are chewed on, symptoms of a clinical problem are evident immediately.
Toxins: Calcium oxalates insoluble and unknown harmful alkaloids; Severity: Mild to Moderate
Key Symptoms:
Pain in the mouth, diarrhea, drooling, inability to eat, and chewing on the lips.
Dieffenbachia
Scientific Name: Dieffenbachia seguine; English Name: Dieffenbachia; Bengali Name: Not specified
Features:
Also known as dumb cane, it is among the most simple to care for house plants to grow in your house, but be cautious when you have a pet or cat that plays. Biting or chewing on the plant may cause injury.
Toxins: Insoluble calcium oxides and proteolytic enzyme; Severity: Moderate
Key Symptoms:
Irritation of the mucous membrane, extreme burning, irritation of the lips and mouth, excessive vomiting, drooling, and difficulty swallowing.
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Desert Rose
Scientific Name: Adenium obesum; English Name: Desert Rose; Bengali Name: Unknown
Features:
It has a Succulent shrub with a smooth, thick trunk and gray-green stems. You can use it as an ornamental plant and plant it in pots. However, adenium is among the plants that are poisonous to dogs.
prevention pet poison by houseplants
Toxic houseplants for pets (Representational Image: Twitter)
Toxins: Digoxin; Severity: High
Key Symptoms:
Vomiting or diarrhea, anorexia, depression, irregular heartbeat and even death.
Golden Pothos
Scientific Name: Epipremnum aureum; English Name: Money Plant; Bengali Name: Unspecified
Features:
It is a great climbing plant that can be grown without sunshine. Golden pothos has insoluble calcium oxalates that may cause mild symptoms of clinical toxicity when chewed by dogs. It is best to avoid this plant since it is slightly toxic.
Toxins: Calcium oxalates are insoluble; Severity: Mild
Key Signs and Symptoms:
lips irritation.
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Eucalyptus
Scientific Name: Eucalyptus globulus Label; English Name: Gum Trees; Bengali Name: Unknown
Features:
If you’re cultivating eucalyptus for your houseplant and your dogs, you should be aware that the oil of eucalyptus can cause an increase in lethargy and can cause irritation to your dog. The smell of eucalyptus oil could trigger the moodiness of your pet.
Toxins: Eucalyptus oil; Severity: Moderate.
Key Symptoms:
Salivation, vomiting, diarrhea, depression, and weakness.
Gardenia
Scientific Name: Gardenia jasminoides; English Name: Gardenia; Bengali Name: Gondoraj
Features:
Gardenia is among the most aromatic flowers in the world. If you’re cultivating gardenia for your home, be aware that it is poisonous to pets. The entire plant gardenia can trigger vomiting and nausea, similar symptoms to your pet.
Toxins: Geniposide, gardenoside; Severity: Mild
Key Symptoms:
Nausea, diarrhea.
English Ivy
Scientific Name: Hedera helix; English Name: English Ivy; Bengali Name: Unknown
Features:
Beautiful English Ivy is among the most attractive plants you can plant in the shade and indoors. The plant shouldn’t be eaten as it is a source of saponins, a poisonous substance. It is on our list of poisonous plants for dogs.
Toxins: Triterpenoid saponins (hederagenin); Severity: Moderate
Key Symptoms:
Drooling, Vomiting, Diarrhea, Abdominal pain.
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How to save your pets from toxic plants
Even though these plants are possibly dangerous doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be able to enjoy the plants in your house. So long as you follow the basic safety guidelines, pets can coexist peacefully. Here are some methods of decreasing exposure to plant toxins:
-Keep plants away from the reach of pets. A growing plant could pose a risk to pets. So, plant it in a high place or place it on a plant stand. You can also place such plants in rooms where pets are not permitted.
-Prevent pets from getting access to plants. Don’t throw away clippings of plants where they are easily accessible to pets. Maintain your plants regularly and make sure that debris is cleaned up.
-Label the plant-pots using the plant’s name and indicate whether or not it is toxic. Use gloves when handling plants or wash hands after handling any plant that may irritate the eyes or skin. If you touch your pets after touching a toxic plant, it might hurt them.
-Make sure you have fresh water available for pets to ensure that they don’t get in a rush to drink water from tray plants. Because, toxins may leach to the surface of the water.
-Make use of automatic plant waterers or self-watering pots to shield plants from mold and animals from the harmful effects of water.
-Self-watering pots are a way to avoid the dangers of water in saucers and also keep the soil clean of mold.
Additional Safety Tips
-Be sure to keep fertilizers and potting soils away from the reach of pets.
-Make sure to check pots and soil frequently for mildew and mold.
-Repair cracked or broken pots. This is especially crucial for plastic pots that were outdoors in the elements. Ensure the hanging baskets are strong enough to support the plants’ weight. Be sure that the ceiling hooks and plant shelves are sturdy enough to hold the weight of the plant.
-Avoid placing vining plants in areas on shelves where tendrils are within the way. Pets could remove the plant from the shelf by pulling.
-Give pets safe food sources to take food from.
Source: United News of Bangladesh