March 8, 2025, 9:46 am | Read time: 6 minutes
With the first warm rays of sunshine, colorful spring flowers sprout their heads from the earth. Whether in the open air, on the balcony, or in a flower vase, the colorful heralds of spring arouse the interest of people and animals. Our four-legged friends also sniff curiously at the flowers and bulbs from which fresh leaves grow. However, not all of them are safe for four-legged friends. Health advisor for cats and dogs Philine Ebert and vet Tina Hölscher explain which early bloomers should not be accessible to our pets and which are even poisonous.
From time to time, cats and dogs like to nibble on plants. Whether out of curiosity, boredom, hunger, or due to stomach problems, the reasons are many and varied. They actually know instinctively which plants are good for them or not, but a new plant on the windowsill or on the balcony is tempting, must be inspected immediately, and, if in doubt, tried. But be careful! Some early bloomers are poisonous to cats and dogs.
Particular Caution Is Required in the Garden in Spring
Caution is also required in the garden. While the owner is busy planting, flower bulbs or tubers lying around encourage animals to play. Fresh shoots sticking out of the ground are tempting to eat, with the risk of serious health problems. Therefore, when buying plants in spring, you should make sure that the plants you choose do not pose a health risk to your pet.
If dogs nibble on flower stems or dig up flower bulbs, this can have serious health consequences. “Snow lilies, lily of the valley, daffodils, tulips, and violets, for example, contain substances that can trigger symptoms of poisoning in dogs,” warns vet Tina Hölscher in an interview with the German Pet Supplies Industry Association (IVH).
The poisonous substances are found in various parts of the plant, but flower bulbs are particularly dangerous. “Poisoning of this kind is particularly common in spring and fall — when the flowers are in bloom and when they are planted,” Hölscher continues. Symptoms such as increased salivation, diarrhea, or even heart problems can indicate poisoning.
Poisonous Early Bloomers for Cats and Dogs
- Snowdrops
- March snowdrops
- Lily of the Valley
- Hyacinth and grape hyacinth
- Daffodil
- Crocuses
- Tulip
- Primroses
- iris
- Cyclamen
- Gladioli
- Blue star
- Christmas rose and snow rose
- Wood anemone
- Winter aconite
These types of flowers can usually be found in gardens, meadows, or woods between January and May and bloom as early as February or March. In most cases, all parts of the plant are poisonous, from the bulb, tuber, roots, leaves, and buds to the flowers. With some plants, mere contact with the skin is enough to cause irritation or symptoms of poisoning. 1, 2
Careless Danger Lurks Outside and Inside!
Bulbous flowers are probably the best-known early-flowering plants, but many of them are also poisonous to pets. Their bulb or corm in the soil serves as a storage organ and supplies them with energy over the winter months. But as soon as the soil temperature rises, new leaves and flowers suddenly shoot out of the ground, and overnight, a barren meadow is transformed into a veritable sea of flowers.
If your dog or cat likes to nibble on plants, they should be kept as far away from them as possible when outdoors. Dogs should, therefore, not be left unattended in the garden at this time, as they love to dig up bulbs or tubers. This is especially true for curious puppies.
For outdoor use, many early bloomers are available to buy for planting in the garden or balcony boxes. For indoor decoration, slow-blooming hyacinth bulbs in pots or tulips and daffodils as cut flowers are very popular in spring and at Easter.
In the house or apartment, it is advisable to place the flowers out of reach of pets if you don’t want to do without them completely. As beautiful as a spring bouquet of flowers is, the water in the saucer or the flower water itself (especially from tulips) is poisonous and must not be drunk by cats or dogs!
Symptoms of Poisoning When Plants Poisonous to Cats and Dogs Have Been Consumed
Nibbling or eating the plant, bulb, or corm and drinking the flower water can cause the following symptoms of poisoning in cats and dogs:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Cardiac arrhythmia and heart failure
- Change in breathing rate
- Restlessness and loss of orientation
- Circulatory collapse
- Inflammation of the stomach lining and intestines
- Skin irritation and itching
- Excessive salivation
- Dilated pupils
- Tremors, cramps, and paralysis
- Bleeding
If the animal develops signs of poisoning after coming into contact with an early bloomer, it is advisable to consult a vet immediately. If the plant causing the poisoning is known, a sample should be taken so that the vet can treat it immediately.
First Aid for Poisoning
If cats or dogs have eaten a poisonous early bloomer, quick action is required. “The doctor can inject a preparation that induces vomiting. This allows the poison to leave the body without causing any harm. However, this only works one to two hours after swallowing the plant parts,” explains Hölscher.
If more than two hours have already passed, the first symptoms often appear and need to be treated. To make the diagnosis easier, the owner should take plant parts or the packaging of the bulbs to the vet. “This way, you know what has been eaten, and you can treat it more specifically,” advises the expert.
Examples of Colorful Flowers Not Poisonous to Cats and Dogs
Not all garden flowers are harmful to the health of our four-legged friends. To avoid having to do without colorful flowers in the garden or house, there are many safe and harmless varieties.
- Daisies
- Dandelion
- lavender
- Daisies
- Dahlias
- Nasturtium
- Pansies
- Sunflower
- Marigold
- Hibiscus
- Tagete (also known as marigold or Turkish carnation)
There are also many types of culinary herbs available all year round, which not only look beautiful due to their different colors and shapes but also enrich the kitchen and thus support a healthy diet for humans and animals.
Caution Is Advised When Planting Poisonous Early Bloomers
To minimize the risk to dogs, a few simple measures can help when planting early-flowering bulbs:
- Store bulbs safely: It is best to keep bulbs out of reach of dogs.
- Bury them deep: If the bulbs are placed deep enough in the ground, the likelihood of dogs digging them up again is reduced.
- Choose non-toxic alternatives: If you want to be on the safe side, opt for harmless plants such as sunflowers, marigolds, or lavender.
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Conclusion
Of course, the colorful spring flowers bring us joy after the long, barren winter and spread a good mood. Unfortunately, however, some species can be harmful to cats and dogs. As a pet owner, you should, therefore, choose only pet-friendly plants carefully so that your shared enjoyment is not spoiled.
With material from dpa