Some pretty plants are toxic if ingested

A Mount Pearl veterinarian is reminding cat owners that Easter lilies can be fatal to felines.

"We had a cat come in on Saturday (March 20) that had eaten a bit of lily leaf. Thankfully, the cat vomited the leaves and the owner called us," said Dr. Hendrik DeZeeuw of Sunrise Animal Hospital.

During a recent visit to his clinic, DeZeeuw took a few moments to playfully stroke one of the hospital's permanent guests - a large white and black cat named Opal. Under his familiar touch, the cat arched its back, looking for yet more attention.

Dezeeuw says as all parts of the Easter lily, including the pollen, are poisonous to cats like Opal. They can cause irreversible kidney damage and, in some cases, death.

A cat only needs to bite the leaves for intoxication to occur, the veterinarian explains. Once ingested, the poison can cause severe abdominal pain, vomiting and eventually seizures.

Cats exposed to the toxins must be treated within 18 hours of exposure, even if the animal doesn't show any symptoms of being poisoned. Treatment includes an intensive fluid therapy, which can last up to 72 hours, he says.

Thankfully, DeZeeuw says, because the poisoning was discovered early, the cat treated recently recovered from its ordeal.

The business of poisonous plants - to both animals and humans - is a huge one and a subject that comes up almost every year, says Memorial University Botanical Garden director Wilf Nicholls.

It is true, Nicholls says, that there are many plants that are poisonous such as foxgloves, potatoes, tomatoes, rhododendrons and laburnum. Foxglove is a beautiful biennial plant, however, if ingested it can cause toxic reactions that can lead to severe sickness and death in both humans and animals.

Digitalis (foxglove), just like the heart medications that were originally extracted from it, are deadly if taken in large doses, Nicholls says.

"Nowadays we synthesize similar drugs based on these plant compounds... but again, they are poisonous if too much is taken."

People may not know that the only edible portion of the potato is the underground tuber, Nicholls says. The leaves, berries, and even a potato that has gone green, are toxic, he says.

As well, he says, only the berries of tomatoes are edible while the rest is toxic.

If any part of a plant has been swallowed, the person affected, or whoever may be with them at the time, should call 911 immediately.

However, rather than fear nature, Nicholls says, the message parents should pass on to their children is they should never eat anything they do not know.

"There are far more dangerous things under the sink and in the medicine cabinet," he says.

While prompt medical attention saved the cat that nibbled on the lily leaf, the animal endured its share of pain.

"Though we started fluids about six hours after exposure, the cat still had intense abdominal cramps and needed pain management as well as fluids," Dezeeuw says.

That cat will likely avoid lilies in the future, though not all animals might be so wise.

"The good thing is that many plants are rather bitter and we'll often spit them out before too much is ingested," adds Nicholls.

The best bet, experts agree, is to take away the temptation. Keep dangerous plants and household poisons away from both children and pets.

danette@nl.rogers.com

Autumn Crocus

Azalea

Bleeding Heart

Carnation

Castor Oil

Chinese Lantern

Chrysanthemum

Clematis

Daffodil

Delphinium

Foxglove

Gladiolus (bulb only)

Hyacinth

Iris

Jonquil

Laburnum

Lily of the Valley

Lupine

Morning Glory

Monkshood

Narcissus

Pansy (seeds)

Peony (root)

Periwinkle

Potato

Primrose

Rhododendron

Star of Bethlehem

Sweet Pea

Sweet William

Tansy

Tomato

Yellow Jessamine

Source: Children's Safety Association of Canada www.safekid.org

What to watch out for:

Varieties of the Rhododendron, including the Janet Blair and Gables Hybrid, are toxic if ingested.