3 Spring Toxins to Watch For

1. Daffodils

Daffodils contain lycorine, which triggers vomiting. Ingestion of the bulb, plant, or flower also can cause diarrhea, abdominal pain, and possibly even cardiac arrhythmias or respiratory depression in pets. Severe symptoms may require immediate treatment.

2. Lilies

True lilies, including Tiger, Day, Asiatic, Easter, and Japanese Show lilies, are all highly toxic to cats. Even small ingestions (such as eating the pollen or just two to three petals or leaves) can result in kidney failure and potentially death. If you see a cat eating a lily, immediately bring the cat and the lily plant to our clinic.

3. Fertilizers

Ingesting most only causes minor gastrointestinal irritation, but some fertilizers can be fatal to pets that eat them if the pets aren't treated. It is best to keep all lawn products in labeled, tightly sealed containers that are out of pets' reach. This is especially true for the more dangerous fertilizers:

• Blood meal. This is dried, ground, and flash-frozen blood. If eaten, it can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and severe inflammation of the pancreas.
• Bone meal. This is made of defatted, dried, and flash-frozen animal bones that are ground to a powder. If consumed in large amounts, bone meal can form a large, cement-like mass that obstructs the gastrointestinal tract and could potentially require surgery.
• Rose and plant fertilizers. Some of these fertilizers contain disulfoton or other types of organophosphates. As little as one teaspoon of 1 percent disulfoton can kill a 55-pound dog. Organophosphates can cause severe symptoms, such as salivation, lacrimation, urination, defecation, seizures, difficulty breathing, hyperthermia, and even death.

The best tip we can offer is not to plant the above flowers at your house and be very careful with the products you use on your lawn. Even if your pet does not typically eat things, even coming into indirect contact with these toxins can be risky.