Are Lilies Toxic to Dogs?: Find out How it Affects Them

Our dogs enjoy eating, but sometimes they might nibble on things that they shouldn’t. You may already be aware that lilies, while beautiful, can be harmful to cats. Is it also risky for dogs? Get answers in this post, “Are Lilies Toxic to Dogs?: Find out How it Affects Them”. We also talked about Types of Lilies that are Toxic to Dogs and What parts of Lilies are Toxic?. As well as How to Prevent Lily Poisoning in your Dog and Signs that your Dog has Lily Poisoning.

Lilies can be harmful to dogs, not just to cats.
Although it’s not common for dogs to suffer from severe lily poisoning, lilies are still considered poisonous for them. It’s important to be mindful of the risks of lily toxicity in dogs to keep your pets safe. Let’s go over all the information you need to understand lily poisoning in dogs.

Types of Lilies that are Toxic to Dogs

Certain types of lilies can be harmful to dogs. They include:

Prairie Lily or Rain Lily

The Prairie Lily, or Rain Lily, is poisonous, especially its bulbs, causing stomach issues in dogs.

Lily of the Valley

The Lily of the Valley contains substances that irritate the stomach and heart. If a dog eats any part of this plant, it may experience vomiting, diarrhea, slowed heart rate, severe heart problems, seizures, and in extreme cases, death.

Peace Lily

The Peace Lily has crystals that can irritate the mouth and digestive tract if a dog chews on it. This can lead to burning sensations, excessive drooling, vomiting, and also difficulty swallowing.

Calla Lily

Similarly, the Calla Lily also contains irritating crystals. Even a small nibble can cause oral discomfort, drooling, difficulty swallowing, vomiting, and loss of appetite.

If you think your dog has eaten any of these lilies, it’s also important to seek veterinary help promptly.

What parts of Lilies are Toxic?

Every part of the lily plant is harmful to both dogs and cats, including the pollen, petals, leaves, stems, and bulbs.
The bulb is especially poisonous, containing more concentrated toxins than the other parts of the plant. When gardening, it’s crucial to keep flower bulbs away from your dog, either by placing them out of reach or securing them behind a fence.
If you have lilies in a bouquet, ensure the vase is inaccessible to your dog. Check and clean up any fallen petals or stems around the area regularly.
The water in a vase that held lilies is toxic to cats and can make dogs sick. Keep the vase out of reach Also, if possible, use a tall vase to prevent curious pets from reaching the water. Dispose of the water promptly when the flowers are no longer blooming.

How to Prevent Lily Poisoning in your Dog

Our best advice is to avoid having lilies in your home or garden. If you do have them, take the steps in this post, “Are Lilies Toxic to Dogs?: Find out How it Affects Them”;

Keep them well out of your dog’s reach.

Put them on stable surfaces.

Remove any dropped leaves, petals, or pollen.

Consider crating your dog when you’re not at home.

Signs that your Dog has Lily Poisoning

The signs of lily poisoning in dogs can vary based on the type of lily they ate. If you’re unsure about the specific lily, common symptoms to watch for include:

Throwing up

Diarrhea

Loss of appetite

Lots of drooling

Scratching at the face due to mouth irritation (only with calla lilies and peace lilies)

Possible heart issues with lily of the valley

These symptoms typically show up within two hours of eating the lily. If you observe these signs in your dog, it’s important to contact your vet right away.

Treatment for Lily Poisoning

Your vet might make your dog vomit to get rid of any remaining lily parts in their stomach. They could also give activated charcoal, which sticks to toxins and stops them from getting into the body. In some cases, they might use stomach pumping (gastric lavage) to clean out your dog’s stomach. These methods aim to lessen the amount of toxins getting into their body.

Further treatment for lily poisoning involves supporting your dog. They might receive fluids through a vein to stay hydrated, help flush out toxins, and reduce the risk of harm to their liver and kidneys. Your dog could also get medication to prevent vomiting. Keep reading, “Are Lilies Toxic to Dogs?: Find out How it Affects Them”.

Are Dogs Vulnerable to the Smell of Lilies?

The scent of lilies usually isn’t harmful to dogs. For things to be toxic, dogs typically have to eat them or have them touch their skin.

However, lily pollen can be a problem. If there’s pollen in the air, it might land on your dog’s fur or nose, and they might lick it off. While big dogs might not be at much risk from a little pollen, small and sensitive dogs could get sick. Breathing in pollen might bother their nose, but it’s not a big danger.

Cats are more at risk from lilies and their pollen, so be cautious if you have other pets at home.

Consequences of Dogs eating Lilies

What happens if your dog eats lilies depends on their size, the amount they ate, and the type of lily. If they’ve had some, your dog might become tired, vomit, and lose interest in food.

In any case, keep an eye on your dog for signs of sickness or unusual behavior. If they seem unwell, contact your vet for guidance.

If your dog ate a lily or any other plant that made them sick, try to take a picture or a piece of the plant to show the vet. Providing the name and scientific name can help the vet assess potential risks or seek specialist advice. Keep reading this post on “Are Lilies Toxic to Dogs?: Find out How it Affects Them” for more!

Why are Lilies Toxic to Dogs

Some fake lilies have different harmful substances that can be unsafe for dogs if they eat or chew on them:

Peace lilies and calla lilies have small crystals called calcium oxalate, causing severe irritation, especially in the mouth, throat, and stomach.

Lily of the Nile contains alkaloids, mainly in the bulb, causing stomach upset and abdominal pain.

Plantain lilies have bitter-tasting substances called saponins, which plants use to protect themselves from curious animals.

Lily of the valley is the riskiest false lily, containing cardiac glycosides that can affect the normal rhythm of the heart.

Are Lilies Toxic to Dogs?: Find out How it Affects Them

Can my Dog die from Lily Poisoning?

If you have a cat, you probably know that lilies can be deadly for them. Even a small bit of the plant can make cats seriously sick, leading to kidney failure or death. But what about dogs? Fortunately, cases of lilies killing dogs are very uncommon. However, many lilies are still harmful to dogs, and even eating types that aren’t highly toxic can make them very sick. Smaller dogs are at a higher risk because it takes less of any harmful substance to affect them.

How to Keep your Dog Safe from Lilies

How can we make sure our pets stay safe from lilies and other harmful plants?

The best way to avoid lily poisoning is to keep these plants out of your home and garden. Before getting a new plant, check online to see if it’s safe for your pet.

Training your dog not to chew on plants is another good way to prevent problems. Even though it takes time and patience, it’s worth it to keep your pet safe, especially if you live where there are many different plants that might be harmful to dogs.

Are Dogs Attracted to Lilies?

Dogs might be interested in plants for various reasons, like nutritional deficiencies, feeling unwell, or just being bored. On the other hand, cats are more likely to eat lilies. While many plants are harmful to cats, most don’t cause issues because cats usually don’t care about them.

Lilies are riskier compared to other flowers because they are toxic and seem attractive to cats for some unknown reason, possibly the scent. Cats might be drawn to lilies like they are to catnip. That’s why it’s crucial to keep all types of lilies away from your cats.

More about Dogs and Toxic Plants

Lilies are just one example of plants that can be harmful to dogs. Many other common plants in gardens and homes, like azaleas, daffodils, oleanders, sago palms, and tulips, can also be dangerous.

Just as with lilies, if dogs eat these plants, it can cause symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, seizures, and in severe cases, even coma or death.

If you love gardening and have a dog, make sure to check if the plants you choose are safe for your furry friend. Researching and being cautious about the plants in your dog’s surroundings can help keep them out of harm’s way.

Conclusion

In summary, being aware of the potential toxicity of lilies to dogs is vital for responsible pet care. Recognizing symptoms, avoiding lilies in the home, and seeking prompt veterinary help if ingestion occurs are crucial steps in ensuring the well-being of our canine friends. Awareness and proactive measures play a key role in keeping dogs safe from the dangers of lily exposure.