Did you know there are more dogs than children in San Francisco? It’s true.
If you are a pet owner in the Bay Area, including Santa Clara County, you probably know that your furry friends, like small children, enjoy eating mysterious objects found in your yard or home.
The problem is that many garden plants and flowers we think are beautiful may actually be toxic for dogs and other pets. If you truly love your animal companions, you should ensure your home is free of harmful garden plants.
There are many alternative safe plant options available. But here are 5 harmful plants for pets that bay area homeowners need to be aware of.
1. Azalea
Azaleas are common flowering shrubs found in the garden or yard. They are frequently used in landscaping design. The pretty but toxic flowers can cause your pet to experience gastrointestinal illness and lowered strength and heart rate. In some cases eating this plant could lead to death. Other than dogs and cats, this plant could also harm horses, sheep, and goats.
2. Ivy
Another common plant to have around the yard or patio is ivy. Whether you grow it intentionally or it occurs naturally, you’ll want to ensure dogs are not secretly nibbling this plant. Dogs consuming ivy can experience excessive drooling, abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. If you grow this plant as an accent, climbing up walls or structures, you may want to cover the bottom portion to prevent pet access.
3. Tulips
Tulips and hyacinths are also plants toxic to dogs. The primary concentration of toxins is in the bulb of the plant. The leaves and flowers are not as much of a concern. Bulbs lie underground, but digging pets could easily access these harmful plants. Consumption of tulips and hyacinths can lead to an irritated mouth and profuse drooling, vomiting, and diarrhea, depending on how much they consume.
4. Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera is a plant that humans have loved for a long time. The many uses of the gel inside an aloe plant are well-known. However, these are plants toxic to cats as well as dogs.
This popular succulent can cause diarrhea, vomiting, internal spasms, and other discomforts to your pets. If you do have small indoor aloe plants, make sure they are completely out of reach of your pets.
5. Daffodils
Daffodils are beautiful, but the harmful flowers have high emetic properties, which causes vomiting. This can occur when pets ingest either the bulb, flower, or plant.
Other symptoms of consumption include diarrhea, abdominal pain, and trouble breathing. Daffodil bulbs also have crystals similar to that of hyacinths, leading to profuse drooling and irritation of the mouth.
It’s easy to replace harmful plants with safe Bay Area garden plants such as sunflower, honeysuckle, rose, or calendula.
Safe Landscaping for Bay Area Homeowners
Sure, there are many more harmful plants for pets and humans, should we ingest them. But there are also many more totally safe Bay Area plants and flowers that are just as beautiful and vibrant. On top of safe plants, there are many other ways to create a safe, beautiful, and sustainable landscape for animals and homeowners.
Bay Area homeowners and Santa Clara county residents who want their home to be both beautiful and safe for pets and children alike can contact us today for help designing brand new Bay Area landscaping or simply replacing plants bad for pets.