Danger for dogs down in the garden

Our little sanctuary resident Miss Nolene loves to sit out in the garden, she wouldn’t dream of eating a plant or flower (unless it was chicken flavoured maybe).  She is wary about food and likes only the best – is this from M & S?  It’s mostly young dogs who like to experiment and will nibble at anything.  We’ve even heard of dogs who avidly eat frogs!   If your pet is the inquisitive kind you need to be aware of the large number of plants that are toxic to dogs, some can be deadly.  These aren’t exotic flowers but the ones we know and love.  A dog shouldn ‘t normally want to eat them but if he did you can expect tummy aches, excessive saliva and even deadly damage to the liver and nervous system.

If you’ve recently lifted your daffodil bulbs and are storing them ready to plant again later in the year, they need to be kept safely in a shed.   A recent survey has shown that out of 2,000 cat and dog owner, more than 1 in 12 pets have eaten poisonous plants and half of these became ill enough to need vet attention.  Fifteen per cent of dogs died.

Plants that are dangerous include:  Clematis, Ivy and Wisteria, Verbena, Chrysanthemums, Geranium, Grape vines, Seed Potatoes, Asparagus Fern, Asiatic Lily, Calla Lily, Daisy, Dahlia, Delphiniums, Eucalyptus, Fern, Foxglove, Oleander, Peony, Poppy, Privet, Tomato plants, Wisteria and the deadly Yew Tree.   We’re not suggesting you grub up half your garden but if you see your pet eating or chewing with any plant (apart from grass which has health benefits for dogs to eat) – keep an eye on him for a while in case of symptoms.