Spring is a wonderful season filled with blooming flowers and vibrant colors, but some of those beautiful blossoms can pose a hidden danger to our pups. These flowers if ingested can cause poisonous symptoms from mild irritation to severe issues. We’ll cover 9 common spring flowers that are toxic to dogs so you can keep your pup safe while enjoying the season!
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Cherry trees: including blossoms, leaves, and seeds, contain cyanogenic glycosides. These compounds can produce cyanide when metabolized, leading to cyanide poisoning in dogs.
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Daffodils: including the bulbs, flowers, stems, and leaves, contain a compound called lycorine which can cause gastrointestinal upset and oral pain.
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Tulips: can cause irritation in a dog's mouth and stomach if eaten. Poisonous symptoms include drooling, sickness, diarrhea, dehydration, lethargy, and abdominal pain.
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Bluebells: contain toxic glycosides, which are harmful to dogs and other animals. While a small amount of bluebell consumption might lead to an upset tummy, ingesting a large quantity can be fatal.
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Azaleas and rhododendrons: contain grayanotoxins, a group of neurotoxins that can disrupt skeletal and nerve functions, and weaken the heart muscle.
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Hyacinths: bulbs are the most toxic part of the plant, but all parts can be harmful. Ingestion can cause intense vomiting, diarrhea, depression, and tremors.
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Lilies: all parts of the plant, including flowers, leaves, stems, and even pollen, are poisonous. Dogs (compared to cats) are generally less affected, but can still experience mild gastrointestinal upset if they ingest any part of the plant.
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Lily of the Valley: Highly toxic to dogs. When dogs ingest, it can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, a drop in heart rate, severe cardiac or arrhythmia, seizures.
- Irises: when ingested can cause symptoms like drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy. Fortunately, iris poisoning in dogs is usually only mild to moderate in severity.
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If you think your dog has been poisoned, contact your vet immediately. The sooner your dog is treated, the better their chance of recovery!
Best regards to you and your pup,
Xing, CPDT-KA & Mika💜