Lilies pose a risk not only to cats but also to dogs. While fatal lily poisonings are uncommon in dogs, lilies are still recognized as poisonous to our canine friends. It’s crucial to understand lily toxicity in dogs to ensure the safety of your pets. Below is a comprehensive guide on lily poisoning in dogs, covering the types of toxic lilies, symptoms of lily toxicity, and methods of treatment.
What types of lilies are toxic to dogs?
It’s advisable to avoid lilies altogether when selecting plants for your garden or indoor decor. While not all varieties of lilies are highly toxic to dogs, most lilies can lead to an upset stomach or other discomforting reactions.
Lilies That Are Toxic for Dogs
- Prairie Lily (Rain Lily): These lilies can be toxic to dogs, particularly their bulbs, which are the most poisonous part. Ingestion of these bulbs can cause mild to severe gastrointestinal (GI) upset in dogs.
- Lily of the Valley: This plant contains cardio glycosides, which are gastrointestinal irritants. Consumption of the leaves, flowers, or roots of this lily can result in vomiting, diarrhea, slowed heart rate, severe heart arrhythmias, seizures, and in severe cases, death.
- Peace Lily: The peace lily plant contains insoluble calcium oxalate crystals that can cause irritation to the skin tissue. If a dog chews on any part of this plant, the crystals can lead to intense burning and irritation of the mouth, tongue, and lips, accompanied by excessive drooling, vomiting, and difficulty swallowing.
- Calla Lily: Similar to the peace lily, the calla lily also contains insoluble calcium oxalate crystals. Even a small nibble of this plant can expose dogs to the crystals, resulting in oral irritation, excessive drooling, difficulty swallowing, vomiting, and decreased appetite.
If you suspect your dog has ingested or chewed on any of these types of lilies, promptly take them to your veterinarian.
Nontoxic Types of Lilies
The Peruvian lily, tiger lily, daylily, and Easter lily are all considered non-toxic to dogs. Although classified as non-toxic, these lilies can still provoke unpleasant reactions in dogs. Introducing any new or unfamiliar foods into a pet’s diet can lead to gastrointestinal upset. Ultimately, it’s advisable to keep all plants in your home out of your pets’ reach.
Symptoms
The symptoms of lily poisoning in dogs can vary depending on the type of lily ingested. If you’re uncertain about the type of lily your dog consumed, common symptoms to watch for include:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Decreased appetite
- Excessive drooling
- Pawing at the face due to oral irritation (specifically with calla lilies and peace lilies)
- Heart problems may occur with ingestion of lily of the valley. Symptoms typically appear within two hours of ingestion. If you observe your dog exhibiting these signs, it’s important to contact your veterinarian promptly.
Treatment
The treatment plan will depend on factors such as the time of ingestion, the type of lily consumed, and the dog’s clinical symptoms. If you’re certain the ingestion happened within an hour and immediate veterinary care isn’t accessible, your vet may advise inducing vomiting using hydrogen peroxide. It’s crucial to consult your vet before inducing vomiting to ensure the correct and safe dosage.
If you can reach the veterinarian promptly, they can administer hydrogen peroxide or apomorphine safely. Apomorphine acts similarly to an eye drop and induces vomiting in dogs.
If more than an hour has passed since ingestion, the vet may administer activated charcoal to help absorb toxins and eliminate them from the body. Blood work will likely be conducted to monitor for any signs of organ toxicity. Additional medications may be provided to protect the gastrointestinal tract and organs, and intravenous fluids may be administered to dilute any absorbed poison.
In most cases, ingesting lilies won’t require hospitalization for dogs; however, lily of the valley is a potential exception. In such instances, hospitalization for a day or two may be recommended.