Poisoning Risks

During their daily walks or even in the safety of their owner’s back gardens, pets may come across various potential hazards. These hazards range from seemingly innocuous plant bulbs and flowers to commonly used garden substances such as fertilisers, weed killers, and slug pellets.

Spring bulbs and flowers – dogs are more prone to being affected by plant bulbs such as daffodils and tulips, as they tend to dig them up and try to eat them. Whilst it’s advisable to keep cats away from lilies, which are highly toxic to them. Symptoms of poisoning include red gums, drooling, upset stomach, unsteady movements, fatigue, and collapsing.

Slug pellets – used to control slugs and snails in gardens, they can be toxic to pets, particularly dogs. Some pellets are generally safe to use, but those containing the highly toxic substance metaldehyde, can cause significant poisoning even in small amounts. Symptoms of poisoning include wobbling, lack of coordination, tremors, and seizures.

Plus, let’s not forget there are many other year-round risks, including those posed by chocolate, dried fruit, and food products containing the sweetener xylitol.