Mother’s Day bouquet not for cats: these flowers are poisonous to pets | RTL News

Vomiting, diarrhea, kidney or breathing problems. Pets that eat poisonous flowers can become seriously ill. Veterinarians warn that not only the flowers, but even the pollen or flower water are poisonous. Research by AniCura Veterinary Clinics shows that 3 percent of cat owners and 4 percent of dog owners have experienced poisoning by flowers in their pet.

Lilies, tulips or chrysanthemums, for example, are flowers that are best avoided. For example, lilies are very poisonous to cats: they can cause serious kidney damage upon contact with any part of the flower, including the flower water. Dogs that ingest any lily can develop stomach and intestinal complaints. “If you order or buy a bouquet of flowers for your mother and there is a cat in the house, the advice is to leave out the poisonous flowers or consider alternative gifts to prevent accidents,” explains Laura Ruys, veterinary specialist in emergency care and intensive care at AniCura Specialist Referral Center Haaglanden.

Pets that have tasted the flowers need treatment quickly. “It is important to contact the vet if there is the slightest suspicion of poisoning.”

Pollen on fur

Wim Wellens, veterinarian at AniCura Animal Hospital Drechtstreek, explains how you, as an owner, can recognize intoxication in your pet. “In cats, for example, you can see from pollen on the fur that there has been contact.” But of course that does not necessarily mean that the cat has ingested something. “The cat can lick the pollen through the fur, so it can be dangerous.”

It is therefore important to immediately remove the pollen from the coat and remove the flowers. In addition, animals can also show that they have been poisoned in other ways. “They may feel nauseous or vomiting, have a poor appetite or have an alteration in consciousness.”

These animals must then be taken to the vet quickly. “Then we can make them vomit and give them an IV to save the kidneys. It sometimes happens that a cat has ingested too much without being noticed. If such an animal comes to the vet too late, it may die. Fortunately, we can we save the majority of the animals brought in.”