Are Lilies Poison for Dogs

Vets are aften asked "are lilies poisonous for dogs?" or "are lilies toxic for dogs?". When it comes to toxic garden plants for dogs, lilies seem to be the number one concern for many dog owners.

Dr Liisa warns dog owners about lilies

Dr Liisa Ahstrom, Bayer Technical Services Vet, tells us that  lilies can cause gastrointestinal upset and indeed there are many plants and flowers which are toxic to dogs including popular cut flowers Tulips and Hyacinths and popular potted or garden plants Cyclamens, Azaleas, Rhododendrons, Sago palms, Lily of the Valley, Daffodils, Dieffenbachia, Oleander and Crocus. 
 
For those of us who have both cats and dogs, it is very important to be aware that many lilies are toxic to cats including Tiger (Lilium tigrinum), Day (Hemerocallis spp), Asiatic (Lilium asiatic), Easter (Lilium longiflorum) and Japanese Show (Lilium speciosum) lilies. All parts of the plant appear to be highly toxic to cats including the petals, stamens, stems, leaves and even the pollen. Ingestion of small amounts of any part of the plant or even water from the vase containing lilies can cause severe kidney damage.

Fortunately lilies don’t cause kidney failure in dogs, but because lillies can cause gastrointestinal upset in dogs, it's still best to restrict dogs' access to these plants.

When asked what is the most concerning toxic problem for dogs in Australian gardens, Dr Liisa quickly identifies, not a plant, but  nasty life forms of a different kind. Ticks and fleas!

Most toxic garden concern for dogs

To keep your dog free from ticks and fleas, Dr Liisa tells us,  you need to use an effective parasite protection product, according to the directions on the pack.  Most products rely on parasites biting the dog to receive a lethal dose of active ingredient with their blood meal.  Bites from ticks and fleas cause discomfort and can spread disease, and the bite from a single paralysis tick can be fatal.  

To prevent ticks from biting, including the deadly paralysis tick, it’s important to use a product that can repel ticks before they bite. Advantix for dogs is the only product that kills and repels ticks.  Advantix also kills fleas and lice, repels biting flies and kills and repels mosquitoes and sandflies. To stop fleas from biting your dog, use a product that kills fleas fast, and on contact, so they don’t need to bite your dog to be killed. The Advantage Family products (Advocate, Advantix, Advantage) all stop fleas that jump on your dog from biting in just 3 – 5 minutes, and kill them on contact within 1 hour.  If you live in or are visiting a paralysis tick zone with your dog, it’s also important to check them over for ticks every day.