A Pet Friendly Garden

Hello and welcome back to the Live Life off Leash Blog!

It's summer, and that means gardens, flowers and fresh fruit and veggies. Many pet owners also love plants. Indoor or outdoor, ornamental or functional, they all offer beauty and life to yards and homes. And although most plants are not dangerous at all there are a few to watch out for if you are planting and have pets. Here's a short list of common toxic plants that you would want to keep out of your pet spaces.

Lilies are number one on our list. Causing severe kidney damage to cats, although beautiful they are just not worth the risk to have in your garden if you have pets around. Even very small amounts are highly toxic.

Tulips are another flower that although beautiful, they are dangerous. The bulbs of these flowers cause intense gastrointestinal upset, nervous system damage and even cardiac arrest. They are dangerous to both cats and dogs.

Amaryllis is the last flower on our short list of toxic plants. The toxins in this flower can cause diarrhea, hyper-salvation, tremors and many other damaging side effects. Dangerous for all pets, they are best left out of gardens around pets.

There are several other plants that can be toxic to pets so it's best to do your research before you bring plants home and to areas your pets have access to. Of course there is the option of fencing dogs out of gardens, but harder for people with outdoor cats. Generally it's just not worth the risk. Make sure you consult your vet immediately if your pet has come in contact with any of these plants or if they start to develop symptoms and they have been exposed to plants you are not sure about.

If you'd like to know more about this or have questions regarding your pet's health in general reach out! We'd love to chat.