Poisonous plants to avoid this Summer

Now that summer has finally arrived, the longer summer days will mean plenty of trips to the park, and lots of time spent gardening with Fido or Rover keeping you company. Summertime trips to the garden centre are a family favourite all over Australia, and this summer we urge pet owners to be aware of which plants in the garden can spell danger for our furry friends...

Keen gardeners are often on the watch for damage their dog or cat may do to their carefully nurtured plants, but many would be surprised to know that there are a lot of plants out there that can cause severe illness, even fatalities, in our pets.

Most people are aware that the beautiful Oleander, seen in so many public gardens and suburban backyards is a deadly poison. So much so that the simple stirring of a cup of tea with a twig while on a picnic claimed a human life. Oleander is also poisonous to dogs but few dogs would be inclined to chew the plant. Young puppies can be a different story-they are much more likely to play with the twigs and fallen leaves.

Many of the beautiful plants in Australian gardens can have fatal results if ingested by pets.

The bulbs of daffodils, Jonquils, Tulips, Spider Lilies, Nerines, and crocus are all poisonous. Bulbs often prove an attractive toy for puppies or adult dogs-especially those who like to play with a ball.

Burning bush, castor oil plant, Daphne, Foxglove, golden Chain, Ivy, Larkspur, Lily of the valley, Monkshood, Rhododendron, sweet peas are among others which are poisonous.

Lillies are also very toxic to cats and can cause renal failure. Ingestion of any part of the lilly can be fatal - petals, pollen, or leaves - and so if you have a curious kitty at home it is advisable to ask your friends and family to avoid Lilly's in any bouquets of flowers they may buy for you, and instead opt for safer (and equally as beautiful) flowers like Roses.

Indoor houseplants are also best placed out of reach of the dog or cat, as Dumb Cane, Elephant Ears and Cyclamens may be chewed up by a bored pup or curious cat with often dire results. Keeping indoor plants out of reach is reccomended. It may also help to grow pet-safe plants such as Catnip or CatGrass in the house so that your pet has a safe source of greeny to nibble on, should they so desire.

If your dog or cat eats a plants which you suspect may be poisonous, contact your local veterinarian immediately. If you are unsure of the toxic qualities or the identity of the plants, your local nursery should be able to help.

Gardeners also need to make sure they keep poisonous chemicals, such as insecticides and fertilisers, away from pets. Pets are best restricted from sprayed areas of garden, including lawns which have been chemically fertilised.

There are some common garden plants and grasses which may cause allergic reactions in pets.

Wandering Jew can cause dogs to get itchy feet, lower legs, and stomach as can paspalum and rye grasses. Keeping lawns mown to prevent seeding or restricting dogs to mown areas will help prevent a reaction to grasses.

Every spring, Veterinarians expect an influx of canine patients suffering from snail bait poisoning. This is a painful, distressing and mostly fatal toxin which is attractive to dogs. Pet owners should use non toxic methods of snail control or place baits where pets cannot reach them. A simple snail trap, placing a half full beer can into a hole in the garden attracts snails so they crawl in and drown.

You must seek urgent advice if you suspect your pet may have had access to snail bait.

Many areas have rabbit eradication programs involving the laying or poisonous carrots. While these are probably not attractive to dogs and cats, the rabbit carcasses will be, and when the stomach contents are eaten, this can be fatal. If you suspect your pet may have eaten a poisoned rabbit, you should contact your vet immediately.

FIV

F.I.V. and your cat - Feline Immunodeficiency Virus

Feline AIDS is caused by infection with feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). This viral disease interferes with the immune system of the infected cat and is potentially fatal. FIV is NOT the same virus as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes Human AIDs. Even though FIV is related to HIV, no human has ever been reported to be infected with FIV.

We strongly recommended vaccinating your cat against FIV if your cat goes out side.  All it takes is one little cat fight with a cat that has FIV and your cat is highly likely to contract the disease.

How is FIV spread?

FIV is spread mostly by biting but can also be transmitted by a mother cat to her kittens across the placenta or through her milk. It is reported that between 14% and 29% of cats in Australia test FIV positive. Outdoor cats are at the highest risk of disease, especially if they fight with other cats.

How long will it take my cat to show symptoms?

After infection there is a period of variable length during which the virus lives in the cat's body but may not cause the cat to become unwell. The average length of time between becoming infected, and the start of symptoms related to the virus, is 7 years but may be as long as 10 years, or as little as less than a year.

What are the symptoms of FIV?

Many infected cats will initially show no sign of being infected with FIV but some will show some initial symptoms such as;

o    Fever

o    Loss of appetite

o    Diarrhoea

o    Lethargy

o    Swollen lymph nodes

Generally these symptoms will resolve and the cat will appear healthy for a period of time before starting to show other symptoms of the disease as it progresses.

Many of the symptoms shown by cats with FIV are due to the immune dysfunction caused by the disease rather than as a direct effect of the virus itself. 
Symptoms which may occur are;

o    Dental problems and inflamed gums

o    Weight loss

o    Some forms of cancer are more common in FIV infected cats (lymphoma, carcinomas and sarcomas)

o    Loss of appetite

o    Depression

o    Infections of organ systems related to the immune suppression caused by the virus (respiratory, urinary tract, gastrointestinal, etc)

o    Diarrhoea

o    Anaemia (low numbers of red blood cells)

o    Low numbers of other cells including white blood cells and platelets

o    Swollen lymph nodes

o    Kidney infections or failure

o    Behavioural abnormalities (dementia, hiding, roaming, rage, inappropriate urination and defaecation)

o    Inflammation of the eye

As the disease progresses the cat's immune system becomes too weak to fight off other infections or disease and as a result, the cat will usually eventually die from one of these subsequent infections.

How do I tell if my cat has been infected?

A blood test can tell us if the cat has been exposed to the virus from approximately 60 days after the cat is first infected. We will normally do this screening test in our clinic laboratory and if the result is positive we then send a second sample to an external laboratory for confirmation.

Kittens can be tested for FIV but sometimes the antibodies they receive in their mother's milk can interfere with the test and can cause a false result. If kittens do test positive then they should be retested once they have reached 6 months of age to make sure that the positive test result was correct.

Is there a treatment for FIV?

Unfortunately there has been no successful treatment found for FIV infection. All we can do is stay alert for the early signs of disease and treat any infections and problems that develop as they arise.

How do I protect my cat from FIV?

If your cat does not have FIV then there are a number of ways in which we can try to prevent infection;

o    Keeping your cat indoors and limiting exposure to other cats

o    If you are introducing a new cat to your house then it is best to test the new cat for FIV first.

o    If your cat has best tested and is negative for FIV then he or she can be vaccinated against the disease.

Vaccinating against FIV

The FIV vaccination consists of an initial course of 3 vaccinations 2-4wks apart, then a yearly booster. The vaccination has been shown to protect 82% of cats vaccinated. 
Cats must be tested for FIV first and must be negative in order for them to be vaccinated.