People who love their gardens and their pets are often surprised to learn that their outdoor haven can be an animal danger zone. While most cultivated plants are fine, some are poisonous to pets.
“It’s very important to realise that dogs and cats are not little humans,” says the Australian Veterinary Association’s Dr Ross McKenzie. “They have different chemical systems and handle food somewhat differently from us.”
Grapes are a good example. A sweet treat for humans, they’re toxic to man’s best friend. “Even half a dozen can cause quite severe kidney problems in dogs,” cautions McKenzie. Macadamia nuts are also toxic for dogs, while avocado is a no-no for birds such as budgerigars, cockatiels and canaries, which will die quite rapidly from a relatively small amount.
For cats, lilies can be fatal. “A couple of petals are enough to produce kidney disease, and left untreated, the cat will most likely die,” McKenzie says. Flowers, leaves and stems of Easter and Asiatic lilies as well as so-called day lilies (genus Hemerocallis ) are all dangerous.
The shrub Brunfelsia is known as “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow” or “Morning, Noon and Night” for the way its flowers fade from purple through to white. Says dog-owner McKenzie: “It is a very nice plant. But for some reason we don’t understand, dogs are attracted to the fruit. They eat it, get poisoned, are taken to the vet and treated, recover, and go back to the plant and eat more fruit.” The poison causes diarrhoea and convulsions, and can be fatal without emergency treatment.
However, you don’t have to eliminate the entire plant, says McKenzie – simply remove all the fruit as it appears.
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