Lily Toxicity

There are a variety of lilies that exist in the

wild, and while many are very beautiful, its
important to remember that they are toxic to pets.
Peace Lilies are mildly toxic to cats and dogs and
effect the digestive tract, Lily of The Valley effects
the heart if ingested, and true lilies are extremely
toxic to the feline kidney.
This pamphlet will tell you what to look for if
your pet accidentally ingests part of a lily, and
which lilies you should avoid for your pets safety.



Lilies
Though many species of lilies are highly toxic
to cats, it is important to remember that the
different types of lilies cause very different
symptoms, and some are even toxic to dogs, and
humans as well.
The most dangerous lilies are of the genus
lilium, sometimes referred to as the true lilies and
are incredibly toxic to cats. Even the tiniest
amount of pollen or the smallest bite of this flower
can cause a cats kidneys to begin to shut down.
Tiger Lilies, Stargazer lilies, Easter Lilies and
many, many types of common and beautiful lilies
are in fact toxic to cats. Though they are not toxic
to dogs, some other types of lilies are.
Peace Lilies, Calla
Lilies and other closely
related types of lilies
can be mildly toxic to
dogs or cats. These
flowers contain calcium
oxalate crystals within
bundles known and raphites, that release and
penetrate the mouth, or other parts of the
digestive tract when ingested, causing pain and
other symptoms.
Lily of The
Valley are
extremely
poisonous to
anyone who
ingests it. The
plant contains
cardiac
glycosides, and
eating it can cause bradycardia, cardiac
arrhythmia in cats, dogs, and even people.
Clinical Signs
Look for these symptoms if your
cat or dog ingests Calla Lilies, or
related plants:
Oral pain & often
will paw at mouth
Drooling
Vomiting
Inappetance

If your pet, or any family member
consumes a Lily of the Valley,
these symptoms may occur:
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Bradycardia
Severe Cardiac
Arrhythmias
Seizures
Death

Watch for these symptoms in cats
that eat any true lily:
Vomiting
Dehydration
Drooling
Inappetance
Polyuria and/or
polydipsia
Seizures
Kidney failure
Death


Diagnosis

As with any
poison, the
easiest way
to diagnose
the fact that
your cat
has eaten a
lily is if you
witness the act. If you find parts of a lily that
have been chewed on, that can be a pretty
good indicator as well. Vomiting is a common
symptom after ingesting any type of lily, so
their vomit may contain the answer to what
made them sick.
In the case of Calla Lilies, which can be
incredibly painful but are not as deadly as
true lilies, if the owner is not sure what was
eaten a diagnosis can usually be made when
the plants calcium oxalate crystals are found
in the animals mouth, esophagus and
stomach.
Lily of the Valley toxicity can be
diagnosed if the toxicant is unknown by the
identification of the cardiac glycosides from
the plant within the animals system.
Urinalysis and blood tests can find these.
If you do not witness your cat eating a lily
of the lilium genus, it is possible to diagnose
through blood and urine tests to detect
kidney failure. Kidney failure can occur as
quickly as 36 hours after ingestion, and a
single leaf is sometimes enough to kill an
adult cat.
Treatment
Once diagnosed, Calla Lily poisoning can
be treated very easily by rinsing the mouth
and feeding the animal something high in fat
to help get the crystals out of its body.
Sometimes, if necessary, Benadryl is given
as well. Most cases will see a complete
recovery within 24 hours.
Treatment for Lily of the Valley toxicity
and Easter Lily toxicity are both typically
done with activated charcoal, and the use of
intravenous fluids. If the pet hasnt thrown up
by the time it arrives at the hospital, the
doctor will induce vomiting.
In the case of Easter Lilies and other true
lilies, the kidneys will be monitored while the
cat is hospitalized. Since Lily of the Valley
attacks the heart, it will be carefully
monitored if your pet has ingested this
particular lily. These flowers can be very
toxic, and your animal may require
hospitalization and supportize care to fully
recuperate. The faster they receive
veterinary treatment, the more positive their
prognosis.
After
successful
treatment,
many pets
have very
happy,
healthy
lives.
Prevention
The easiest way to prevent your cat from
accidentally eating a lily is to keep dangerous
plants out of your home and garden. In the
case of Easter Lilies, etc. even a tiny amount
of the pollen is toxic enough to make a cat
very sick.
If you have a garden, take a moment to
check which flowers are toxic to your animals
before you plant, this alone could save your
dog or cats life!
Despite the fact that Lily of the Valley and
Calla Lilies are toxic to even humans
(especially small children) if eaten, they still
appear commonly in gardens and bouquets
due to their beauty and sweet smell, so be
aware of what they look like, and keep your
animals away from them.
Some beautiful flowers that are non-toxic
to feline and canines:
African Daisey Gloxinia
Golden Shower Crossandra
Orchid