It’s the end of a long day at the end of a long week. I don’t have a photo for this day, yet. I’ll post one later in the day for the weekend. In the meantime, since it’s spring in North America, I thought a list of plants that are toxic to dogs may be helpful to dog owners.

Among the worst are poinsettias, philodendrons, and dieffenbachias. Here are some others: Amaryllis, Azalea, Caladium, Calla or Arum lily, Daffodil, Delphinium, English holly, Foxglove, Ivy, Jade plant, Jerusalem cherry, Morning glory, Mums, Privet, Wisteria.

I’ve never seen a dog try to eat any of these plants, but you never know. Puppies are especially vulnerable to eating things that are toxic. In general, the best way to treat a dog that has ingested these is to induce vomiting. To induce vomiting, give a small amount of 3% hydrogen peroxide – about 1 teaspoon per ten pounds of body weight. Use a syringe or turkey baster to squirt it to the back of your pet’s mouth. This usually gets results within a few minutes. If it doesn’t, repeat the dosage after 15 or 20 minutes. Note that syrup of ipecac is not a good alternative as it can be toxic to cats and dogs, too.

Please be aware that this is recommended for plant ingestion only. Also, please do not attempt to induce vomiting under any circumstances if your pet is unconscious. If you are uncertain, contact your vet.

Here’s a list of common household poisons, along with advice regarding whether or not to induce vomiting. Some caustic substances can cause more damage if your pet vomits them back up.

Antifreeze yes
Ant poison yes
Aspirin yes
Battery Acid NO
Bleach NO
Drain Cleaner NO
Fertilizer NO
Household cleaners NO
insecticides yes
Medications yes
(antihistamines, tranquilizers, barbiturates, amphetamines,
heart pills vitamins)
Paint thinner NO
Pesticides (water based only) yes
Rodent poison yes
Sidewalk salt NO
Slug and Snail bait yes
Turpentine NO
Weed Killers (water-based only) yes
White glue or paste NO

Symptoms of poisoning include difficulty breathing, depression, confusion, seizures, a slow or fast heartbeat, excessive salivation, burns around the mouth, or bleeding from the nose, mouth, or anus.

If you suspect your pet has been poisoned, call your vet or the animal poison control center immediately. If you know what your pet has ingested, have it close by when you make the call so you can describe it accurately.

Let this message inspire you to collect emergency numbers for your pet and place them close to the phone so you won’t have to look for them during an emergency.