Be Careful What You Plant
Whether in the garden or in your home, plants provide us with immense beauty. Unfortunately, many of those plants are also poisonous to pets. Plants which are not toxic to people, like the hibiscus and the Easter lily family, may cause renal failure in cats and excessive fluid loss in dogs. A morsel of mistletoe can cause digestive upset as well as irregular heartbeats and possibly cardiac shock in pets. Common houseplants, like the philodendron and Dieffenbachia (dumb cane), contain oxalate crystals that can cause your pet's mouth and throat to swell, making him unable to eat.
Because pets chew on almost anything, you'll want to remove or secure plants that are especially dangerous to your pet. Learn the types and names of plants that you have in your yard in case of an accident.
If your pet does chew on a plant, immediately remove the plant from the animal's mouth and rinse its mouth out gently with water. Identify the plant your pet ate and call the poison center or your veterinarian. Watch for excessive or foamy salivation and changes in the skin around the mouth, eyes, or paws.
The following list of potentially hazardous plants is in no way complete; however, it does represent the most commonly kept plants. Accurate identification of the plant in question is essential. Local floral shop and plant nursery personnel are valuable sources of information regarding plant identification.