If you have ever raised a dog, you probably know that they habitually gravitate towards strange objects, which they feel could be chewed on. Starting from wool and plastic to shoes and door mats, they have a penchant for mouthing anything that comes their way. You, as a pet owner, might go “aww…” every time you see your dog fiddling with something, but you probably don’t know this is not a healthy practice, especially when the object in question is a plant. Did we say plants? Yes, you heard that right! Starting from house plants and garden plants to potted plants or plants far in the wild, they can really act as a tempting diversion for your dog. But not all plants are harmless. And some can cause serious repercussions in the matter of your dog’s health.
If you sense the possibility that your dog might try chewing on the plants you bring home, then it would be a wise move to simply avoid investing on plants that you know for sure are harmful for dogs. And in case, you need the plant for some reason, it should be placed beyond the reach of your pet so that it fails to access it even if it wishes to. But keeping this check in case of garden plants is not possible. And that is why, you should have some knowledge in this regard. There is no hard and fast rule that your dog will eat grass only for one reason. Two dogs can eat grasses entirely for two different reasons. In this article, we are going to enlighten you about the probable causes of Dogs eating grass and how can you stop them from doing so.
Vets say, it’s important to take measures in the direction of curbing the craving of dogs to chew on vegetation. But in what way? Well, for that you can add bran flakes to the meals of your dog. Alternatively, you can put your dog on a diet high in vegetable fibre. This will keep your dog’s cravings under check, and it will not roam around mouthing leaves and flowers.
But prevention is always better than cure, so check out the following Toxic Plants for Dogs to Avoid. Although the list is not exhaustive, we have almost all the common offenders here. Have a look-
Aloe Vera-
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Aloe Vera is a miracle herb for humans, but for dogs, it’s poisonous. Yes, you might like the idea of having an Aloe Vera plant at an arm’s length to able to pluck a few leaves every time you think your skin needs some smoothing, but it’s not as much fun when your dog has munched on an Aloe Vera leaf. Yes, a lot of people have been found using this herb topically on dogs, and that rarely causes a problem. But when ingested, Aloe Vera can irritate the digestive system badly, which, when gets worse, could bring the dog close to death. Yes, it’s that harmful!
“Ivy” or Hedera Helix–
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Out of all Toxic Plants for Dogs to Avoid, ivy takes the second place. Ivy is also referred to as Hedera Helix and is not something you would want chewed by your dog. Yes, they are a gorgeous plant and can cause the beauty of your room grow hundredfold when allowed to cascade down a shelf. But things won’t remain any pretty if your dog chews on the leaves of this ever-beautiful plant. If you see symptoms such as breathing problems or a rash, rush your dog to the hospital. After all, ivy can cause your dog to even get paralysed or go into a comma. So, make sure you keep the ivy plant at your house far out of reach of your pet. Some plants can be really dangerous for animals and they are not that intelligent to know about the good and bad. So, being an owner, you will have to get knowledge about the poisonous plants to pets, that can take away your love from you.
“Jade” or Crassula Ovata–
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Jade or Crassula Ovata is also a plant that is detrimental to the health of your dog. When a dog ingests leaves of this plant, it suffers from vomiting and a slower heart rate. If the symptoms are as visible as these, you will probably be able to find a cure. But something as subtle as depression could also result from ingesting jade. And this would really be a tricky problem to treat.
“Dumb Cane” or Dieffenbachia-
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This is a low maintenance plant. Hence, a favourite of a lot of homeowners. But chewing on Dieffenbachia could make your dog’s mouth burn and swell. This could, in turn, lead to breathing difficulty, which again, at times, could cause death. Parrots love biting the branches and chewing leaves. It will be better if you can arrange for some plant trimmings from outside and give them to enjoy. But before doing that you will have knowledge about the process and especially the plants which are toxic and the plants which are non-toxic for Parrots.
Philodendron–
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Philodendron is also a low maintenance plant, favourite among interior decoration enthusiasts across the globe. But it’s not really any favourite of your dog. Its ingestion can cause plenty of problems to your dog- starting from mouth burning and swelling to seizures, spasms, and digestive defects.
“Devil’s Ivy” or “Pothos,” or Epipremnum Aureum–
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Pothos is less demanding and doesn’t die easily. Hence, a homeowners’ favourite! Since it’s a relative of the philodendron family, it could cause the same issues as philodendron does in a dog that has ingested it.
“Sago Palm” or Cycas Revoluta–
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Sago palm can spruce up your interiors instantly, but it affects on a dog that has ingested it is also almost instant. Starting from diarrhea, vomiting and liver failure, a lot of unpleasant things can happen to a dog that has chewed on it.
“ZZ Plant” or Zamioculcas–
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Toxic Plants for Dogs to Avoid like ZZ plant are homeowners’ favourite, as they require almost no light for growth. But they are a strict no-no, if you have a dog at home. Ingesting ZZ can make your dog vomit severely and pass loose stools.
Caladium, or “Elephant Ear”–
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With vibrant coloured leaves, Caladium makes for a great sight. But they are a dog’s foe, for sure. Salivation, burning and swelling of the mouth and vomiting are the common symptoms that you notice in a dog that has munched on caladium leaves.
“Corn Plant” or Dracaena Fragrans–
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Toxic Plants for Dogs to Avoid include corn plant too. If your dog has chewed on this plant, then it will vomit blood. Besides, it might get plagued by depression and loss of appetite.
So, these are some of the most common Toxic Plants for Dogs to Avoid. Always watch over your dog when you take it out for a walk. See if it gets attracted towards plants. If yes, discourage this behaviour. If, however, your dog has munched on some poisonous plant, and you notice symptoms like vomiting, fatigue, salivation, abnormal urination, diarrhoea, difficulty in breathing etc., then take it to your vet at the earliest, as there are chances that it might have been poisoned.
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