Spring is here!

And it's beautiful outside! The flowers, the trees, the bushes, everything is in bloom. It smells wonderful! Especially to your dog. I know you want to be outside with your pup, basking in the warmth and fresh air. We want your outings to be fun and safe, so here are a list of plants that you may have in your yard or local park that are bad for your dog:

This list is the first of a two part blog. This list is from the ASPCA website, where more plants are listed. I've included the more popular plants here on this list. Please refer to the ASPCA website for further information.

Bittersweet - Causes vomiting, diarrhea weakness and seizures.
Holly - Causes vomiting, diarrhea and depression.
May Apples - Causes vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, panting and coma. Can also cause redness and skin ulcers.
Yews - Causes tremors, difficulty breathing, vomiting, seizures and sudden death from acute heart failure.
Azaleas - Causes vomiting, diarrhea, weakness and cardiac failure.
Begonias - Causes kidney failure, vomiting and salivation.
Laurel - Causes vomiting, diarrhea, depression, cardiovascular collapse, hypersalivation, weakness, coma, low blood pressure or death. Even a few leaves are dangerous.
Black Nightshade - Causes hypersalivation, severe gastrointestinal upset, diarrhea, drowsiness, confusion, lethargy, weakness, dilated pupils and slow heart rate.
Black Walnut - Can cause tremors and seizures.
Ivy - can cause vomiting, abdominal pain, hypersalivation and diarrhea. The foliage is more toxic than the berries.
Buckeye - Severe vomiting and diarrhea, depression or excitement, dilated pupils, coma, convulsions and instability.
Iris - Can caulse salivation, vomiting, drooling, lethargy and diarrhea.
Cardinal Flower - Can cause depression, diarrhea, vomiting, hypersalivation, abdominal pain and heart arrhythmia.
Caster Bean (Caster Oil Plant) - I'm just going to copy from the ASPCA's site here: Beans are very toxic: oral irritation, burning of mouth and throat, increase in thirst, vomiting, diarrhea, kidney failure, convulsions. Access to ornamental plants or pruned foliage most common in poisonings. Ricin is a highly toxic component that inhibits protein synthesis; ingestion of as little as one ounce of seeds can be lethal. Signs typically develop 12 to 48 hours after ingestion, and include loss of appetite, excessive thirst, weakness, colic, trembling, sweating, loss of coordination, difficulty breathing, progressive central nervous system depression, and fever. As syndrome progresses, bloody diarrhea may occur, and convulsions and coma can precede death.
Choke Cherry - The stems, leave and seeds of this plant contain cyanide. Can cause dilated pupils, brick red mucous membranes, difficulty breathing, panting and shock.
Daffodils - Can cause vomiting, salivation and diarrhea. Can also cause convulsions, low blood pressure, tremors and cardiac arrhythmia.
Dock - Can cause kidney failure, tremors and salivation.
Foxglove - This is the plant that Digitalis is made from. It can cause cardiac arrhythmia, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, cardiac failure, death.
Horse Chestnut - Severe vomiting, diarrhea, depression or excitement, dilated pupils, coma, or convulsions.
Hops - Can cause panting, high body temperature, seizures, death.
Larkspur - Can cause neuromuscular paralysis, constipation, colic, hypersalivation, muscle tremors, stiffness, weakness, recumbency and convulsions, in addition toe cardiac failure or death from respiratory paralysis.
Lily of the Valley - Can cause vomiting, irregular heart beat, low blood pressure, disorientation, coma and seizures.
Milkweed - Can cause vomiting, profound depression, weakness, anorexia and diarrhea. These may be followed by seizures, difficulty breathing, rapid pulse, dilated pupils, kidney or liver failure, coma, respiratory paralysis and death.
Morning Glory - Can cause vomiting or, taken in large amounts, hallucinations.
Moss Rose - Can cause kidney failure, tremors and hypersalivation.
Oleander - Can cause drooling, abdominal pain, diarrhea, colic, depression and death.

I will upload Part II of this list next Sunday. In the meantime, have fun, be safe and enjoy your spring!