Poisonous Plants, Landscaping, and Your Dog
Having a nice home with a big yard is part of the American dream. Throw in a playful pooch and you’ve got it made! If you’ve got a big yard and have been looking to increase your curb appeal, chances are you’ve thought about adding some landscaping. Thing is, some landscaping choices can be very harmful to your pet. Do you know what poisonous plants to avoid in play areas? Here are some top landscaping choices that you should avoid.
Landscaping: Poisonous Plants to Avoid
- Hydrangeas and Morning Glories – Both are beautiful flowering additions to a yard. Yet they are both highly poisonous plants to dogs. How highly? DEADLY. These lovely flowers are known to cause cardiac arrest in dogs and should never be anywhere where your dog has unsupervised access. Even supervised could be risky if you have a pet that likes to randomly chew on and bite things.
- Hostas – These lovely, big green leafy plants are a favorite for landscaping. They are frequently planted close to the home, sometimes framing in entry ways. As far as poisonous plants go they may not necessarily be deadly, but they make your dog very, very sick. Vomiting and diarrhea are the side effects of Fido ingesting this plant.
- Rubber Plant – These thick green leafed plants are also called rubber trees. They are found both outside AND inside. Ingesting any of this plant will cause the same symptoms as the Hosta. Be very careful to keep your dog away from the plant, as well as any dead leaves which it may have shed.
- Azaleas – These are big pink flowering bushes. Ingesting these can lead to vomiting, paralysis, and even death. One to definitely avoid!
- Chrysanthemums – These are a favorite, low growing flower that blooms in the late summer and early fall. A favorite for fall decor, you see them for sale in pots everywhere as soon as the weather starts to change. They come in mostly yellow, red, purple, and orange. These cause irritation in your pups mouth as well as their skin. Don’t let them come into contact with this colorful plant!
These are just a few of the most popular landscaping culprits. Be sure to do your research and talk to your vet before you add plants, flowers, or shrubs to your pets outdoor area!
Hydrangeas
Hosta
Rubber Plant