The natural curiosity of dogs and cats often blooms as the weather warms up, and changes in the environment—both indoor and outdoor—bring new risks and potential dangers to family pets. Flowers, seeds, snail bait and lilies are a few of the hazards to watch for as the weather warms up.

Be sure to have the ASPCA Poison Control Hotline at 888.426.4435 on hand in case your dog or cat is exposed to a potential toxin, since prompt treatment can sometimes make a difference between survival and tragedy. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. By calling as soon as you suspect a problem, you can get a head start on medical attention. A $65 veterinary charge may apply; you may want to rush your pet to the nearest emergency hospital. LBAH is open every night until midnight, and Long Beach Animal Emergency is open weekdays, weekends and holidays during the off-hours of traditional vets.

When you arrive at the veterinary hospital, the doctor on duty can consult with the toxicologist with the case number you provide or even check into it while you’re en route if you provide them the Poison Control case number from your call to ASPCA’s hotline. This helps ensure that your pet gets comprehensive attention and treatment. If you have a friend or a family member go with you when you take your pet in for emergency medical care, one person can make phone calls while the other drives. While prompt medical attention for your pet is very important, you also need to arrive safely.

Poisons from Plants

Part one of this article will deal with things that grow, indoors and out. New growth and blossoms attract animals with their scents and flowers, leaves and seeds, and the effects of ingestion can range from mild stomach upset to life-threatening organ damage and seizures. It’s worth examining your pet’s outdoor environment closely to see if it includes toxic plants. Any such growth you find can be either removed or trimmed to keep it away from curious pets. Examples of toxic garden plants include:

  • Yesterday-today-and-tomorrow (Brunfelsia), sago palm, foxglove, hyacinth, tiger lily, day lily, daffodils, azalea and angel’s-trumpet. Indoor plants that can cause toxic reactions include African violets, philodendrons and Easter lilies. The latter are particularly toxic to cats and cause kidney failure.

ASPCA Poison Control has a comprehensive illustrated list of toxic plants on their website. 

If you suspect your pet has ingested something toxic, bringing in a sample or photographing it for the toxicologist for identification is very helpful.