London - There are times when a collie and a flower just do not mix.
Several common garden plants and flowers can kill household pets, experts have warned.
Owners are being told to keep their four-legged friends away from lilies, which can prove fatal to cats, or seasonal poinsettias, which can cause vomiting in both cats and dogs.
Other favourites that can poison pets include daffodil bulbs, rhododendrons and yew, which is used in hedges and topiary.
The vegetable patch is no safer. Onion, garlic, leek and chives – all from the “allium” family – are toxic to household pets, with 69 cases of poisoned dogs, two of which were fatal, and four cases involving cats reported between 1994 and 2008.
A total of 261 cases of cats suffering from lily poisoning were also recorded.
Guy Barter, of the Royal Horticultural Society, said: “Because the risk is so widespread, the best approach is for pet owners to teach their animal not to eat garden plants or ornamental flowers. If you have a pet cat that is mostly housebound, then avoid bringing in lilies and poinsettias.”
The research, published in the Veterinary Journal, concluded that a Europe-wide database for all plant-related pet poisonings should be set up to help better manage future incidents.
A British Veterinary Association spokesman said: “The important thing is to know the animal. If they explore the world with their mouths, make sure you avoid planting any potentially poisonous plants.” - Daily Mail