People who nurture plants in their house or lawn think of them as their kids, growing and blossoming in pleasure. This is just how people who have pets see them too; as their fur babies. But when you have both in your house, plants as well as pets, you need to be alert for reasons more than one. There are a lot many houseplants which are common but have toxic effects on pets. Pets, especially cats like to nibble on plants while dogs sometimes love to eat grass or similar plants. If these plants contain composition that is harmful for them, the repercussions could be huge, ranging from upset stomach to even death. So before bringing a pet home, have a close scrutiny of your house and lawns to avoid any such mishap. In case you have them, it is best to remove those plants from your garden. Let us see which plants are best avoided in a house that has pets as members too.
Five common plants to avoid
Ivy- Also known as silk Pothos, Ivy is very toxic for cats and dogs as it can cause irritation in their mouth and tongue. Every part of the plant, whether it is the stem, leaves, or roots are poisonous for pets. Ingesting them could cause serious problems like vomiting, diarrhoea and even liver failure in extreme cases. Severe rashes on the body could also be a result of swallowing any Ivy plant part.
Jade- This succulent plant is very common in households and is considered to be air purifiers. But for pets it is extremely dangerous as the toxins in these plants may cause vomiting, depression and slow heart rate if ingested by dogs or cats. Some specific toxins in these plants may also result in difficulty in coordination of movements in pets.
Dumb Cane- Popularly known as Tropic Show and Exotica, these plants are very harmful for the pets in your house. Nibbling these may lead to difficulty in breathing in cats and dogs. It causes burning sensation in mouth and the poison is so strong that it may even cause immediate death of the pets.
Snake plant- Sansevieria is also known commonly as Snake plant and consists of a harmful chemical called Saponin. Saponin is very toxic for dogs and cats and if ingested accidently may cause dangerous implications like nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and excessive drooling.
Chrysanthemum- These plants contain a harmful chemical known as sesquiterpene lactones which can be very toxic for cats and dogs. They can irritate your pets’ eyes and nose, harming their digestive system as well. If consumed in large proportions, it can lead to loss of appetite, diarrhoea, excessive salivation and vomiting.
It is best to avoid having these plants at home even if kept out of reach of your pets, as accidents may happen with serious repercussions. Even if you are not sure of the toxicity of a plant, it is better not to have them as pets have a habit of digging in the potting mix. Other than damaging the roots, it also causes a mess all around. Chewed on leaves of plants is also not an enticing sight, so it is best to let your love of plants take a back seat if you plan to have pets at home.
