Protecting pets from toxic holiday plants
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Mistletoe, holly, and poinsettias. They’re all plants many of us like to display in our homes during the holidays.
But if you have indoor pets, those plants could be toxic to animals.
Dr. Cassie Mitlitsky is a veterinarian at Sandy Paws Animal Hospital. She says its important to be aware of what seasonal plants are safe around pets.
Mistletoe, holly and poinsettias can pose a threat if ingested by either cats or dogs. Lilies are also popular during this time of year. She says they’re the most dangerous, if ingested.
“Something you definitely want to keep out of their reach. You can see vomiting, diarrhea, and neurologic effects with those ones,” Dr. Mitlitsky said. “So, I would say poinsettias were at the bottom of my list, and lilies were kind of at the top of my list, and mistletoe and holly kind of fall in the middle there of how toxic they are.”
She urges pet owners to even be cautious when owning a live Christmas tree in a pet-friendly home.
Mitlitsky says there can be pesticides, mold, or bacteria growing in the water in which the tree sits.
If you want to play it safe, Christmas cactus and Christmas orchids are non-toxic holiday plants you may want to consider in your home.
