PETS & PLANTS
A sometimes deadly combination.
During summertime, green is in! Everything from potted ivies to hanging baskets start popping up throughout most homes. But, are your plants pet-proofed? On the other hand, are your pets plant-proofed? Read on to learn the occasional deadly results of mixing pets and plants. Learn which houseplants are most toxic. Find out the steps you can take to keep both your plants and your pets from risk.
Plants
Plants add to the home. There’s nothing like ordinate plants to beautiful a simple room. Nature has a way of adding sprays of color whereas manmade variations pale, generally incapable of mimicking simple nature at it’s best. However, introducing pets into your plant’s living environment can cause catastrophic results for your plants!
Pets
Pets add to the home. Their personalities, affectionate spirits and fascinating mannerisms endear them to our hearts and lives. Once a pet has acclimated to its living space, life generally progresses in a peaceful manner. There are those rare times for accidents, but on the whole contentment is stable. However, introducing new plants into your pet’s living environment can cause catastrophic results for your pet! The Most Toxic Indoor Plants Include:
- Dumb Cane – also known as dieffenbachia
- Snake Plant – also known as Mother-in-Law Tongue
- English Ivy
- Philodendrons
- Pothos – also known as Devil’s Ivy
- Azalea
- Amaryllis
- Daffodil
- Mistletoe
- Holly
If you suspect that your pet has ingested a poisonous plant, contact your veterinarian immediately. Depending on the type of plant that has been ingested, your physician may recommend first aid be administered to your pet before transmitting the pet to the animal hospital.
Avoiding Disaster
- Purchase non-toxic plants for your home
- Keep plants out of reach from your pets. You may need to get on their level and scope out all the potential hot spots. Remember, kitties climb so check above as well as below.
- Secure all planting implements from your pet; this is especially important if you’ve just pruned a toxic plant.
- Wash your hands before petting your animal. Some plants are so toxic that it doesn’t take much to invite disaster.
- Eliminate disaster by transforming a room in your home into a beautiful sunroom and keep your live plants solely in this room. They’ll love the sunshine!
It’s possible for plants and pets to coexist. After all, before domestication animals and plants were dependent upon one another in a variety of ways. Plants provided food and shelter; animals spread the seed which generated more plants. By following a few simple rules your plants and your pets will flourish!
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