You want to plant some beautiful flowers in your garden.
And growing some Astilbes seems like a good idea.
But wait, are you sure that this plant isn’t toxic to your pup?
Let’s check it out.
Keep reading to discover:
- What is an Astilbe.
- If this plant is toxic to Fidos.
- Plants that are very poisonous to your doggo.
- And a lot more…
Table of contents
What are Astilbes?
Astilbe is a perennial plant that produces spiky flowers.
Since it’s perennial, Astilbes can live for a long time.
That’s why it’s a perfect addition to your garden.
Not only that, but its flowers come in different vibrant colors like:
- Pink.
- Violet.
- White.
- Lavender.
- Deep red.
Moreover, they can grow up to 6 in (15.24 cm) to 5 ft (1.5 m).
This depends on the variety of Astilbes that you grow.
Currently, there are 18 species of this flower you can choose from.
And their bloom schedule will also depend on their variety.
There are those that can bloom during late spring to late summer.
While there are also species of Astilbe that flowers during the fall.
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Are Astilbes plants poisonous to dogs?
Astilbes aren’t poisonous to dogs. So they can eat its flowers or roots without having any health issues. However, insects like ants or bees can be present in the leaves or flowers of Astilbes. And insect bites can cause some skin irritation and discomfort to your dogs.
What plants are very toxic to dogs?
The following are very toxic to dogs according to PetMD:
- Yew.
- Mistletoe.
- Oleander.
- Cyclamen.
- Dumbcane.
- English Ivy.
- Sago Palm.
- Castor bean or castor oil plant.
Yew
All parts of this plant are toxic to all animals including humans.
Usually, yews are used in holiday wreaths.
So if you’re buying one, look out for this poisonous flower.
You can take them out of the wreath to be safe.
Or you can just place it in a secured place that your pooch can’t access.
Symptoms:
- Seizures.
- Muscular tremors.
- Dyspnea (shortness of breath).
Note: Yew ingestion can result in your Fido’s sudden death due to cardiac arrest.
Mistletoe
Kissing under the mistletoe is a beloved Christmas tradition.
But it’s not a good idea to grow or get one if you have a pup.
It’s because mistletoe contains toxins that can be very poisonous to your doggo.
In particular, it affects your doggo’s gastrointestinal tract.
Your GI tract is composed of your small and large intestines.
Symptoms:
- Vomiting.
- Diarrhea.
- Difficulty breathing.
- Low blood pressure and heart rate.
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Oleander
All parts of oleander are very toxic to your pup.
Even the water where oleander leaves or flowers are floating can be toxic.
So you should also keep it away from your pooch.
That’s why it would be better not to plant this flower in your garden at all.
Symptoms:
- Drooling.
- Diarrhea.
- Depression.
- Abdominal pain.
Warning: Too much intake of oleander can lead to death.
Cyclamen
Aside from Fidos, it’s also toxic to cats and horses.
Symptoms:
- Vomiting.
- Diarrhea.
- Salivation.
Warning: When your pup eats a lot of its tubers, seizures and death may occur.
Dumbcane
Both cats and dogs can be poisoned when they eat this plant.
Because it contains chemicals that are that can’t be dissolved or digested in their body.
Symptoms:
- Vomiting.
- Oral irritation.
- Excessive drooling.
- Difficulty swallowing.
- Intense burning and irritation of the mouth, tongue, and lips.
English Ivy
Its foliage is more poisonous than its berries.
But both can still make your pup very sick.
Symptoms:
- Vomiting.
- Diarrhea.
- Abdominal pain.
- Excessive drooling.
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Sago Palm
Sago Palm is very dangerous for cats, dogs, and horses.
Because it contains the toxic chemical, Cycasin.
Cycasin can cause liver damage and eventually liver failure if ingested.
Symptoms:
- Bruising.
- Vomiting.
- Increased thirst.
- Dark, sticky, and tar-like poop.
- Yellowing of eyes and other tissues in the body.
Further reading: 9 Reasons Why Your New Puppy Isn’t Eating Or Drinking Much
Castor bean
The beans of this plant are very toxic that ingesting even an ounce of the seed can be very lethal.
But the most common method of poisoning is when pooches ingest some of the pruned foliage.
Furthermore, the signs can develop up to 12-48 hours after eating the castor bean leaves.
Symptoms (ingestion of foliage):
- Fever.
- Trembling.
- Weakness.
- Excessive thirst.
- Loss of appetite.
- Difficulty breathing.
- Loss of coordination.
- Colic (abdominal or intestinal pain).
If your pooch ingested a castor bean or seed, they can have the following symptom:
- Vomiting.
- Diarrhea.
- Convulsion.
- Oral irritation.
- Kidney failure.
- Increase in thirst.
- Burning of mouth and throat.
What to do when your doggo ate a poisonous plant?
You may hear this one a lot, but it needs repeating.
The first course of action when you think your Fido ate something toxic is to call your vet.
What’s more, it can be helpful if you can identify what type of plant poisoned your pooch.
Try to look for some signs in the garden. Maybe there are plants that got knocked down.
Or see if there are leaves that got into the house, it can give you an idea of the plant that made your pup sick.
Moreover, you can also get a sample of your doggo’s vomit or stool.
That’s if they’re showing symptoms of vomiting or diarrhea.
This can be taken to the lab for testing and analysis.
And it can confirm what plant poisoned your pup.
Plus it can also determine the proper course of treatment.
Depending on the type of toxin, the treatment can vary.
But it would be good if you try to be calm.
Because your pup might feel that you’re afraid.
As a result, they’ll also get stressed and scared.
In addition, it’s advised not to induce vomiting.
Unless of course, your vet tells you to do so.
It’s because vomiting can worsen the problem and just dehydrate your pooch.
Also, if you’re still in the house and your pooch isn’t breathing.
Then you can perform dog CPR.
How to perform dog CPR?
Here’s a helpful video on how to do doggy CPR:
And here is the step by step guide as recommended by ASPCA:
Step 1: On a flat surface, put your Fido in a rescue breathing position. Do this by aligning their head and back. Then tilt their head a little further to open their air passages.
Step 2: If your doggo is in position, place your mouth over their airway.
For small dogs that are less than 30 lbs (13.6 kg), cover both their nose and mouth with your mouth.
While on larger dogs, cover only their nose with your mouth.
But prevent the air from escaping through their mouth.
Do this by holding their mouth and jaw closed with your hand when you give rescue breaths.
Step 3: Blow the air into your pup’s nose and/or mouth. This will make their chest rise.
Then release your lips so the air can escape. Try to produce 20 – 30 breaths per minute.
Step 4: Lay your hand over their heart and compress their chest. There should be 10-12 compressions within 5 seconds.
Step 5: Repeat the steps. You must follow a 1 breath to 10-12 compressions ratio.
It would be better if you have a partner when doing dog CPR. So they can replace you after 2 minutes because 100 compressions per minute can be tiring.
Step 6: Check from time to time if your FIdo is breathing again. You can check every 2 minutes. Continue the CPR until help arrives if they’re not yet breathing.
How to prevent poisoning?
Prevention is always better than cure.
And the easiest way to prevent your Fido from ingesting poisonous plant is by not buying them.
Also, don’t plant them in your backyard.
But there are times when these toxic vegetations can still enter your households.
It can be in the form of a bouquet or floral decoratives.
If this happens, make sure to put it somewhere your fur baby can’t reach.
Aside from that, you can also consider buying plastic floral decorations instead.
Or having non-toxic plants like Astilbes as decoration.
Lastly, putting a fence in the garden can also be a good precaution.