Summer fun means lots of time outdoors for you, and if you're lucky, for your pets, too. But it's no time to let down your guard because plenty of plants your pooch or cat encounters could be dangerous.
Petinsurance.com reports the top 10 most dangerous summertime plants for cats and dogs during the months of June through August include: Autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale); Azalea/rhododendron (Rhododendron species); Castor bean (Ricinus communis); Foxglove (Digitalis species); Lilies (Lililum species); Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis); Oleander (Nerium oleander); Sago palms (Cycads, Macrozamia, and Zamias); Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow (Brunfelsia species); and Yew (Taxus species).
All of these plants have some type of self-protective mechanism that can harm pets if they ingest their leaves or flowers. Signs of poison from plants include a pet's heart rate decreasing, diarrhea, lethargy, struggling for breath. If you suspect that your pet has ingested a poisonous plant, contact your veterinarians or the Pet Poison Helpline immediately (1-855-289-0358). The Pet Poison Helpline has experts in veterinary toxicology are available 24 hours a day to suggest treatments and reactions.
But not every danger lurks in poison. Other plants, like foxtail and other spur-having plants, are dangerous in other ways.
Katherine Terrell, vet tech at San Francisco Animal Medical Center, recently discussed the plants that dog owners should watch out for as foliage leafs out in the summer season. She focused on foxtails, which basically resemble a fox's tail, and are the bushy plants you see virtually everywhere this time of year.
"The problem being that those ends are very sharp, kind of needle-like structures and they very easily can pierce skin and then burrow into the body," she said, adding, "The most common sites would be in the eyes, in the ears, but they can also be inhaled and go into the lungs. They can kind of burrow their way in between a pet's toes and cause some more serious problems. And they typically, we see the foxtails kind of late spring all throughout summer in the Bay Area. So we're kind of in the prime foxtail season right now."
What are some of the symptoms for a dog with a foxtail injury?
That depends on what body part it's infiltrated, Terrell explained, adding, "With the eyes, if your pet came back from a walk or a hike or in the backyard area and all of a sudden they're squinting a bunch, or they refuse to open their eyes, there definitely can be a foxtail hiding in there. Sometimes they get burrowed under what we call the third eyelid.
"So if you notice your pet after a hike no longer wants to open the eyes -- It's very watery -- That would be a reason to have them assess. If they're in the ears, sometimes it's very similar to if your dog's had an ear infection. If you'll see a lot of head shaking, they just cannot get comfortable and it's, it's a very incessant head shaking. So that is typically another red flag for a foxtail. And in between the toes, if your pet is licking their paws incessantly and you look in between their toes and it kind of looks a little red and irritated, sometimes you'll even see like a little entry mark. That is definitely a big red flag to bring your pet into the emergency room."
To help keep longer-haired dogs safe she recommends shaving between the toes, either at the groomer or at home if you have the capability.
But if you suspect foxtail exposure, the vet is your first stop, she added.
"I've had patients here who the owners tried to flush it out and while the intentions were good, that can actually push it further into the ear and there is a potential to then kind of rupture the eardrum and you can cause more damage that way. So if you ever suspect this might be a foxtail situation call your primary vet or just bring them directly to an er so they can be assessed by a veterinarian right away."
To prevent foxtail problems, she also recommends a net mesh that you can put over your dog's head.
"It doesn't protect for the rest of the body, so I always recommend after a walk or a hike, do a very thorough exam on your pet, check in between all the toes, kind of feel down their body if they have longer hair, because you'll feel that sharp little needle-like structure ... but the masks are great. I believe they're called OutFox is the company, and they are a wonderful preventative way to try to make sure your dog doesn't run into a foxtail on a walk or a hike or at the park."