March is Pet Poison Prevention Awareness Month, but you should prepare to prevent problems year-round. Here in Texas, many folks spend this time of year preparing for spring gardens. I just spent several hours preparing a flower bed and seeding with wildflowers. And we continue to update our rose garden after we had to dig out old roses (many infected with rose rosetta disease, arg!) and continue to plant new ones. My jonquils, and other bulb plants now poke shy heads above the mulch, ready for a burst of color. Many roses already show their color.
Shadow-Pup helped! And Karma-Kat and Trinity-Kitty enjoy any cut flowers I bring in later. That’s why I’m so careful about exactly what we plant, and the kinds brought inside for our own and pet enjoyment. I had some lovely patio container plants last fall and wanted to bring them inside for the winter. Unfortunately, I couldn’t risk plants toxic to pets.
Key Takeaways
- March is Pet Poison Prevention Awareness Month, highlighting the importance of year-round preparedness.
- Spring can be particularly dangerous for pets due to toxic plants; pet owners should avoid bringing hazardous plants indoors.
- Use a poison chart to identify toxic plants and keep an emergency first-aid kit on hand for pets.
- Roses are a safe, edible option for gardens, but avoid plants toxic to pets and children.
- Engage with fellow pet owners about their experiences with poison pet plants and share helpful resources.
Poison pet plants can kill cats and dogs any time of year, but spring can be particularly dangerous when new plants pose dangers. While dogs munch (BEWARE of cocoa bean mulch that appeals to dogs and can poison them!), cats more often play and claw plants, and ingest poison when they clean themselves. Check out this post for more about top pet toxins.
That’s why at my house, we love roses, which are edible. Of course, the thorns can be a hazard. 🙂 And if you have neighborhood cats, use these tips to shoo cats away from gardens.
Poison Pet Plants & What to Do
I received an email from ProFlowers.com a couple of years ago with this great infographic to share. Refer to this helpful poison chart (below) to avoid toxic plants all year long.
Of course, my advice is to keep toxic plants out of the house entirely when you have pets (or toddlers!) eager to taste-test everything. Accidents do happen, though, so this is a handy guide to bookmark (and share!) with other pet parents.
Meanwhile, why not keep an emergency kit on hand? My go-to is the First-Aid Companion for Dogs & Cats not only for poisons but for everything from torn nails to (gasp!) gunshots or snakebite. It’s a good time to “gift” the pet people in your life, too…although my wish for you and your pets is that you’ll NEVER need the emergency advice!
You can also get the first aid book in audio, to carry with you everywhere you go, just in case!
Have your pets ever “snacked” on something toxic? Do tell! What happened? what did you do…and what would you advise others based on your experience? Check out this awesome list of toxic plants.
Bookmark this great infographic for future reference. Simply avoid plants dangerous to pets, so the whole family can enjoy the spring and summer blooms.
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter.
Stay up to date with the latest book giveaways and appearances related to my September Day pet-centric THRILLERS WITH BITE! Amy Shojai, CABC is a certified cat & dog behavior consultant, a consultant to the pet industry, and the award-winning author of 35+ pet-centric books and Thrillers with Bite! Oh, and she loves bling!
Great info! Thank you for the post!
Hope it helps! I appreciate the comment. 😄
Our problem is chocolate. All the humans like it, and Rosie, our older beagle mix thinks it is fantastic. We have to watch her. And ourselves, to make sure she doesn’t get her fangs on it!
Oh yes, the choc-aholics. Same issue at our house. Magic sits and stares and DROOLS anytime we have chocolate!
Thankfully none our our kiddos has ever had a run-in with toxic plants. We had to keep some plants out of the house for some of my childhood cats, but thus far none of my babies I’ve had in adulthood have been plant eaters (aside from Simba eating cat grass once she knew she was allowed).
Definitely glad to have your first aid book around just in case, though.
Thanks Karyl, it’s one of my favorite books and I’ve had to refer to it myself time after time. Magic used to be sort of a kutz. *s*