are citronella plants poisonous to dogs

For many years I was an avid collector of houseplants.

Trips to the nursery were a common weekend activity, and I'd always return home with some kind of gorgeous vine, palm and lily.

My apartment started to resemble a home jungle of the kind you find on Pinterest, and my plant children were thriving. It was wonderful.

Then, my partner and I adopted two criminally cute kittens.

Portrait of a tabby cat looking up with a thought bubble showing a plant illustration — Jasper has a penchant for all things soil and foliage, so we switched to faux plants at home.( ABC Everyday: Juliette Steen )

On the day we picked them up, the volunteer asked if everything at home was prepped. "Food, toys, litter trays, litter?" We nodded along, eager to bring them home and shower them in cuddles. "And you don't have any houseplants?"

Little did I (or my friends and colleagues) know that many, many common houseplants and flowers are toxic to cats and dogs.

So in an effort to keep my furry friends safe, I went to several vets and a plant poison author to find out which common house plants are toxic — and what to do if you suspect your cat or dog has eaten them.

What plants are toxic to cats and dogs?

Turns out, hundreds of plants can be poisonous to pets, and many of these are found in and around our homes.

In fact, one of the experts I spoke to says when it comes to pets, there are no "safe" plants.

"When you look in textbooks about the poisonous principles of plants, each plant has the ability to poison a number of different systems in the body," says veterinarian and vet clinic director Dr David Neck.

Paula Parker, an emergency vet and AVA president, says that although many plants are mild-to-moderate in terms of toxicity and can cause "mild" symptoms like gastrointestinal upset. When pets consume highly toxic plants it can be fatal — even if they only have a very small amount.

The following list contains 10 common plants and flowers toxic to cats and dogs. It's by no means comprehensive, so if you have pets check out (and bookmark) this resource from American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).

10 common plants toxic to dogs and cats

Plant name	Description	Symptoms include
Cannabis	Cannabis poisoning (from plants, leftover matter and edibles) is one of the most common plant poisoning vets see, especially in dogs. Delta nine tetrahydrocannabinol affects cat and dogs' neurological system.	Incoordination, tremors, drooling, seizures, possible respiratory problems, depression, coma.
Lilies	Lilies (such as peace lily, calla lily, Easter lily and Tiger lily) are highly toxic and potentially fatal to cats. Some types are also toxic to dogs. Avoid having any plant from the lily family in or around the home. And be mindful of gifted flowers.	Vomiting, diarrhoea, lack of appetite, stomach pain, depression, difficulty swallowing, kidney damage, kidney failure, multiple organ failure.
Sago palms	Sago palms (cycads) are commonly found in tropical and ornamental gardens. All parts of the plant are highly toxic to dogs. Consumption of sago palm is often fatal. Avoid having sago palms in and around your home if you have pets, and be extremely careful when removing them.	Vomiting, diarrhoea, liver damage, liver failure, multiple organ failure.
Ivy	Many popular ivy plants, including English ivy and Devil's ivy/Golden Pothos, have moderate toxicity to pets.	Mouth and stomach irritation, excessive drooling, foaming at the mouth, swelling of the mouth, tongue and lips, vomiting, diarrhoea.
Philodendrons	The philodendron family, which includes Swiss cheese plant, heartleaf and fiddle-leaf philodendron, have a toxicity level of mild to moderate for cats and dogs.	Oral irritation, pain and swelling of mouth, tongue and lips, excessive drooling, vomiting, difficulty swallowing.
Rubber tree plants	Some rubber tree plants (such as Japanese/Chinese/jade rubber plant and Indian rubber plant) are toxic to cats and dogs.	Decreased appetite, drooling, vomiting, diarrhoea, depression, skin irritation.
Aloe vera	Although considered a medicinal plant for humans, aloe vera's level of toxicity is mild to moderate for cats and dogs.	Vomiting, diarrhoea, lethargy, depression, anorexia, tremors, change in urine colour.
Chinese evergreen	Chinese evergreen's level of toxicity is mild to moderate, though symptoms can include liver and kidney damage.	Oral irritation, pain and swelling of mouth, tongue and lips, excessive drooling, vomiting, difficulty swallowing.
Asparagus fern	Asparagus fern, also known as emerald feather and lace fern, is mild to moderate in toxicity.	Allergic dermatitis, drooling, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain.
Lantana	Considered a weed in Australia, lantana is a colourful, extremely toxic plant for cats and dogs.	Depression, vomiting, diarrhoea, weakness, loss of appetite, shock, abdominal swelling, paralysis, possible liver failure.

Sources: Paula Parker, David Neck and Nicole O'Kane.

Other common toxic plants include, but are not limited to: holly, tulip, oleander, azalea, daffodil, carnations, chrysanthemum, corn plant, dumb cane, jade plant.

Foods to also be wary of include tomato leaves and stems, grapes and any derivatives (sultanas, raisins), onions, rhubarb leaves, avocado, macadamia nuts, garlic and walnuts.

Notes:

This is not an exhaustive list.
Plants have various names, so always check all names when assessing the safety risk.
If you suspect your pet has ingested a toxic substance, take them to the vet immediately.

And don't forget about extremely dangerous snail pellets, rat poison and human medications, such as anti-inflammatories and paracetamol.

"Keep them well away from pets and be very careful," Dr Neck says. "Goodness knows how many times people have unwittingly left their medications around their pets."

Are any plants safe for cats and dogs?

While there are plants with low toxicity (such as areca palm), they can still cause negative symptoms like gastrointestinal upset in dogs and cats.

As Dr Parker explains, it's a case of whether your pet is prone to eating plants, where the plant is placed around the home, and whether it's worth the risk.

As for 100 per cent safe, pet-friendly plants? Nicole O'Kane — author of Poisonous 2 Pets, a book endorsed by vets around Australia — explains there might not be any.

"I don't believe in recommending 'safe plants' as there is increasing information coming out on new toxic plants each day, so one which may have been deemed 'safe', such as gardenias, are now considered to contain toxic principles," O'Kane tells ABC Everyday.

Common poisoning symptoms in pets

Dog sitting on a garden chair with his nose pointed toward the sky and plants surrounding him, for a story for poisonous plants. — Remember to check the plants outside your home and in your garden are safe, too.( Unsplash: Caleb Stokes )

The symptoms a cat or dog experience after eating toxic plants or foods depends on the toxin as well as the pet you have, their age, underlying medical conditions and how much they have consumed.

"The classic symptoms include seizing or fitting, agitation or tremoring (if it's affecting their nervous system), diarrhoea or vomiting, and drooling (this can be a sign of nausea if it's affecting their gastrointestinal system)," Dr Neck says.

What to do if your pet eats toxic plants

If you suspect your cat or dog has ingested plant matter (or in any circumstance when your pet is sick), Dr Neck recommends following these steps. Remember: a small delay can be tragic.

"Calling the vet clinic is the first port of call," he says. "This allows the clinic to get ready and means you're minutes ahead when you arrive with your pet. It's much better for us to know what's coming than for it to burst in the front door."

When it comes to handling poisoning in animals, vets generally try to sustain life while the dog or cat deals with the toxin itself.

This includes things like putting the animal on intravenous fluid to combat shock, providing respiratory support on a ventilator if they've stopped breathing, and controlling seizures by anaesthetising the animal.

If it's safe to do so, vets may induce vomiting to get out the toxins. If not, they can anaesthetise the animal and wash out their stomach (gastric lavage).

Can you stop pets from eating plants?

Some people use pet deterrent sprays to repel dogs and cats from eating plants, but Dr Parker explains these products can be overly irritating and often don't work.

"Generally we try to do positive training rather than negative consequence training," Dr Parker says.

"There's not a huge scientific evidence base to show pet deterrents are effective. But there is a big evidence base that support positive-training methods."

This includes ensuring your pet has enough stimulation throughout the day and providing other objects they can safely chew on.

"Often, if pets are chewing on plants it's a sign they don't have anything more appealing," Dr Parker says.

"That behaviour often tells us they're bored or there's something else going on."

Posted 13 Sep 2018 Thu 13 Sep 2018 at 3:36am, updated 16 Dec 2020 Wed 16 Dec 2020 at 3:30am