Plants pet owners should avoid
JBD
Posts: 10
After watching a recent gardening program on TV, I came across 'Hordeum Jubatum', better known as the Foxtail Barley. It looked like the perfect plant for a steep slope in my garden, so I did some research on planting environment etc., then a quick search on 'images' to see the plant variations....
To my surprise an image popped up of a dog needing veterinary attention because of the 'feathery seed'. Intrigued I searched more specifically for ''foxtail plant, dog'' and found numerous other dogs with horrific injuries to eyes, paws, stomachs and more!! - What's more, my research revealed that this was a common problem with the plant.
I was completely floored, I had no idea that this inconspicuous plant could be so dangerous (I mean we're all heard of plants like the 'foxglove', which when ingested can be deadly) but never something like this. So it got me thinking, how many other plants are there in a garden that could pose a serious risk to my pets... ?
Posts
I find it best to avoid the pets.
In the sticks near Peterborough
Oh Hell!!!! however have I managed to keep 13 cats and 6 dogs to old age, biggest killer of cats is cars.
Thank you for the literature, it looks like an invaluable future resource which I will be referring to from now on! I wish more information like this was given when purchasing plants - as labels seem to only state when something is toxic. Looking at the list, I've already spotted a couple of plants which are in my 'inherited' garden so they'll be going on the compost heap this weekend!
We're looking at getting the garden landscaped in the next year or so to incorporate parking, I had been dreaming up new planting ideas but after this I'm going to have to be more vigilant and re-think a few ideas! The list of plants to avoid seem so large it feels almost impossible to pick safe plants. How worried should I be...
Occasionally our farm dogs would pick up barley awns from running in the fields - it's responsible dog-owning to check your dog over quickly when it comes in from running outside in long grass as all sorts of grass seeds can cause a problem, either getting in their eyes or ears, or under the claw cuticle, and cause a problem.
That quick check over will also identify any ticks that have been picked up - again really important care for dogs that spend time outside.
You can either keep dogs indoors where they're safe from attacks by Mother Nature, or let them be dogs and accept that being alive isn't risk free for any of us.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
My dad used to say, if you have kids or pets in the garden dont plant a labernum tree, the pods that fall after blossoming are very poisonous,
It is such a common rural and urban tree, there must be someone!!
There was a large laburnum tree hanging over our hedge at the top of our drive - it was in the next door farm's garden - there were several others in the village too. Every time we walked past the tree when we were small Ma would tell us it was poisonous and that the seeds looked like peas and they were poisonous too and we mustn't touch them - that way as soon as we were old enough to run around unsupervised we knew not to touch. When we had friends come around to play we told them it was poisonous too. No child in the village ever ate laburnum seeds, and we all played out and around the village unsupervised by adults from a very early age - you could in the 50s and 60s.
Impress on children what is dangerous, and supervise them until they are old enough to do as they are told and understand the consequences.
Of course, that does mean that parents have to teach their children about consequences, and sometimes that doesn't happen nowadays
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
The only plants that I have ever heard of being toxic to cats are members of Lilium family.
Even then I believe the only cases of poisoning have been when the cut flowers have been indoors & the cat has brushed against the pollen & then licked it from it's fur.
And raisins and chocolate are toxic to dogs. Much more accessible to pets than stuff in the garden.