Dangerous Plants To Keep Your Dogs Away From in Spring & Summer

Ah, spring – that wonderful time of the year where the plants are starting to peep through the dirt, and the blossoms are beginning to bud.

But for a growing number of dog owners, the onset of spring is also the beginning of allergy season, and a drive to stop the licking, scratching, biting, chewing, and infections that come with reactions. It’s also a time for a keen look-out, to keep your dog away from potentially poisonous encounters with growing plants and flowers.

Some experts believe that up to 20% of all dogs will develop allergies over their lifetime, and this most commonly appears between the ages of 1 and 2 (although this doesn’t preclude older or younger pups from being affected), and whilst 10% of dogs find that their food is causing the problem, there are a substantial number of other allergens that can cause adverse reactions – such as grass, pollen, feathers, dust mites, cigarette smoke, and more.

A shocking 65% (7.8 million) dogs in Britain are exposed to poisonous plants in their very own gardens, and 51% of dog owners in the UK are unaware of the poisonous substances that might affect their pup outside of the treat tin.

In this blog, we’re going to have a look at a few of the different plants and organisms which should be avoided for the safety and comfort of your dog.

Dangerous Plant for Dogs #1: Pond Algae

As the sun starts to make more of an appearance, a trip to the park and the local lake or pond can make for a great afternoon out; but it’s incredibly important that you look at the water before allowing your pup to leap in.

If the water has a coating of blue or greenish algae, then it might be covered with blue-green algae, which is actually not a plant – but bacteria, which can cause poisoning in dogs, and exposure to toxic blue-green algae can be fatal, with some pups passing away 15 minutes to an hour after exposure.

Do not let your dog in the water, and don’t let them drink it. If they’ve played around near water that you suspect may contain these harmful organisms, it’s important to rinse them off with clean, fresh water straight away, and contact your vet.

Whilst blue-green algae tends to appear in late-spring or early-summer (with temperatures of around 75°F / 23°C), if weather conditions are favouring a warm spring, the blooms can appear much earlier.

The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) describe blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) as:

“Microscopic organisms found naturally in all types of water. These single-celled organisms live in fresh, brackish (combined salt and fresh-water), and marine water. In warm, nutrient-rich (high in phosphorus and nitrogen) environments, cyanobacteria can multiply quickly, creating blooms that spread across the water’s surface.”

Their advice, should a dog come into contact with these organisms says:

“Call a veterinarian if your animal shows any of the following symptoms of cyanobacteria poisoning: loss of appetite, loss of energy, vomiting, stumbling and falling, foaming at the mouth, diarrhoea, convulsions, excessive drooling, tremors and seizures, or any other unexplained sickness after being in contact with the water.”

When out on excursions, taking your own bottle is much safer than allowing your dog to drink from an unknown water source. We recommend the Ez Lick Portable Dog Water Bottle (available in White or Blue), which has built in ‘Lick-Activated’ technology that means you don’t need to carry a separate bowl either.

Dangerous Plant #2: Grass Blades and Seeds

You’d think that with the abundance of grass surrounding us, especially in more rural areas of the UK, that dogs wouldn’t have a problem with it; but with there being so many variations, species, and differing types, it’s not uncommon for dogs to have an allergic reaction. In fact, when the University of Veterinary Medicine (Vienna) conducted a study, they found that 80% of the 262 dogs they trialled, actually tested positive for grass, weed, and tree pollen allergies.

Grass allergies are generally caused by microscopic spores of pollen that land on the dog and are absorbed into their skin and / or nasal passageways, or land on the dog’s fur and are ingested when the dog licks itself.

Symptoms of a grass allergy can include:

• Scratching
• Excessive licking
• Development of a rash
• Red, oozing skin
• Redness and watering of the eyes
• Redness and swelling of the nose

Severe reactions can include inflammation of the airways (anaphylaxis), difficulty breathing, wheezing, and coughing.

It can often be difficult to determine whether or not grass is the cause of a reaction, due to some symptoms being very similar to those caused by other issues, such as fleas, dry skin, or food allergies, and these allergies can appear in any dog, of any age (although it is more commonly seen in those over three months of age), and any species, regardless of gender.

With grass, it’s not just the allergic reaction that needs to be watched out for. Grass seeds, whilst not toxic, can be coated in the pollen which causes the allergies, but they are also 1cm in size, shaped like a dart, and capable of painfully penetrating the outer skin of your dog’s feet or ears, hurt their eyes, and if ingested, and left untreated – can cause internal damage.

Although different varieties of grass can be sown at varying points across the year, most commercial (domestic) grass seed is planted by May, and germination tends to take between 5 and 10 days. Wild grasses tend to see their growing season between March and April, but this depends on the type of seed, as well as the warmth and fertility of the soil – so a cold spring can often see grass seeds floating about longer into spring than normal.

Some of the symptoms that are associated with a pup who’s been affected by a grass seed stuck into them (depending on where the grass seed has penetrated), may include:

• Redness and swelling on the skin
• Runny and swollen eyes
• Itchy, redness in the ears
• Excessive head shaking and tilting (to remove the painful obstruction)
• Breathing difficulties
• Coughing and retching
• Swollen paws and limping
• Difficulty in urinating

Checking your dog over regularly, especially after a run in the garden, will help you locate grass seeds before they can dig in and really cause problems. Having a suitable pet first aid kit on hand is a smart choice, especially if, like our 19-Piece Dog Travel First Aid Kit, it contains cleansing wipes and sting relief pads, that will provide more comfort for your canine companion.

Dangerous Plant #3: Common Plants

Just like in people, some dogs are susceptible to pollen allergies, which may cause itching, excessive scratching or rubbing at body parts (often until the skin is raw), sneezing, reddened and swollen eyes, and runny nose.

Some of the most common garden plants that can cause pollen reactions include: Evening and Garden Primrose, Male Juniper shrubs, Acacia shrubs, Oak Trees, Sage Palm, Bermuda Grass, and Oleander.

House Plants can also cause issues, and some of the most common include: Spiderwort, Aloe, Begonia, Eucalyptus, and Primrose.

Although pollen can travel through the air, it can also be found settled on the grass, and on other plants. If your dog has a pollen allergy, it’s a good idea to seek veterinary advice in providing relief for them and double-checking that there isn’t a differing underlying cause for the symptoms.

Pollen seasons generally cover March through June when the trees are blossoming, and then June through to August for grass and flower pollens (although in a warm year, this can continue through to August). Weed pollen tends to make an appearance between August and October, and is comparatively shorter to other pollen periods as incoming cold temperatures and frosts kill off the plants.

If you’re out in the garden, in the park, or travelling, and your dog is itching away, a gentle form of relief that we recommend is Pure and Natural Pet’s Organic Itch Relief Treatment for Dogs, which is great at calming insect bites, and soothing raw painful patches.

Dangerous Plant #4: Poisonous Plant Bulbs

Planting in spring can be great, but if you’ve got a digging dog in your household, it’s vital that you’re careful with the species of plant you grow, as some bulbs (and the subsequent plant growth) can be highly toxic to your pets. Whilst these types of poisoning cases are rare, they can have very damaging, sometimes lethal, consequences.

You might for example think of daffodils when you think of pretty spring flowers, but they are poisonous to dogs if they eat the bulbs, flowers, or drink the water from a vase / container that has held them. Symptoms of this could include: an upset stomach, vomiting, difficulty walking or standing, extreme sleepiness, or fits.

Tulips are another one to avoid, as consuming these can cause irritation in the dogs mouth and gastrointestinal tract, drooling, vomiting, and diarrhoea – but it can also cause difficulty breathing, and heart problems.

Depending on the environmental temperature, and the time in which the bulbs were planted (most spring bulbs are planted in the Autumn of the year before), many of these plants will begin blossoming in the mid-to-late spring, generally no earlier than March.

If you’re going for a country-walk, where there are a lot of bluebells, you also need to keep a watchful eye on your pup, as the bulbs and plants contain scillarens – chemicals which can reduce the heart rate. If your dog munches these pretty plants or the bulbs, they could suffer from vomiting, diarrhoea, lethargy, and disorientation.

The Dog’s Trust has put together a substantial list of the different poisonous plants in the garden and the household, as a guide (it may not cover every plant, and if you’re not sure about your pup’s exposure to a certain plant or organism, it’s always best to seek veterinary advice).

When you’re out and about, especially in areas you’ve not visited before, or haven’t been in a while, it’s a good idea to keep your dog on a close lead until you’re sure that there’s nothing harmful nearby that they could potentially get their paws into, and giving them a good wash when they get home, to prevent them from licking or chewing at their feet, and potentially ingesting unpleasant substances, seeds, or excess pollen. Making use of the Friendly Soap Natural Hemp Shampoo Bar Saver as a gentle scrub to exfoliate and lather up your chosen eco-friendly dog shampoo bar can help remove stubborn, clinging on greenery as well as making your bar last longer.

Keeping your dog safe and happy is one role that every dog owner should take seriously, but the effort is always worth it – seeing your beloved pet romping out to play, rolling around with their legs in the air, and making everyone smile, is always something to look forward to, in spring, summer, autumn, and winter.