DO DOGS GET ILL FROM TULIPS?

Tulips, with their vibrant colours and exquisite design, are the epitome of spring and a welcome addition to any garden or home. Your pets will likely come into contact with these plants at some point in time due to their popularity as both indoor and outdoor flowers. Is there any danger to your pets if they come into contact with this flower? Are tulips hazardous to dogs?

ARE TULIPS DOG-FRIENDLY?

Generally speaking, tulips are not something a dog would be interested in eating. Tulips are poisonous to dogs despite their attractive appearance (bright colours, complex shapes). Inside the plant are compounds that can irritate their skin, burn their tongue and throat, poison them, and upset their stomachs.

Because poisoning affects the nerve system, it might be difficult for your dog to move, and in extreme situations, they may have difficulties breathing.

If your dog shows no signs of interest in flowers or foraging, they may be perfectly content with a tulip garden. However, it is better to be cautious than sorry, so plant or fence off all tulips so that nosy animals can’t get to them.

ARE TULIPS POISONOUS TO DOGS?

Canine toxicity to tulips is confirmed. It is im-paw-tent to keep your dogs, cats, and horses away from your tulips, despite their beauty, because these flowers are harmful to almost every living thing. Keep tulip bulbs out of the kitchen and out of the reach of any humans or dogs that might mistake them for onions and try to eat them.

For the sake of your dog’s paws, keep any vases of cut tulips safely out of reach. Toxic substances can seep out of the plant and into the water, making it unsafe to reuse the water in the vase.

Generally speaking, garden-grown tulips are more dangerous. Dogs can eat the leaves and blossoms, and they may even try to steal the bulbs! In particular, tulip bulbs are highly toxic, and even a single teaspoonful can make your dog very sick.

WHY ARE TULIPS POISONOUS TO DOGS?

Tulips are harmful to canines due to the presence of Tulipalin A and Tulipalin B, two toxic alkaloid chemicals. All portions of the plant contain these glycosides, but the bulb has the largest concentration. The digestive process makes glycosides hazardous because it alters the reactivity of the sugar molecules contained within them.

Because of their poisonous and caustic properties, these chemicals pose a significant threat. Your dog’s mouth and throat may swell and hurt if it eats tulips since they are acidic and will cause irritation and burning to any tissue they come into touch with.

Tuliposide, a molecule present on both the plant and the bulb, is similar to the glycosides found inside the bulb. Tulips contain a molecule called tulipamine, which is absorbed through the skin and transformed to Tulipan, a chemical that induces a response that irritates the skin when handled. Florists who work extensively with tulips often experience “tulip fingers,” a condition characterised by itching, red hands that is reminiscent of an allergic reaction. Exposure over time will increase the level of irritation.

Dogs don’t have hands, but they make do with their mouths to carry and grasp objects. So, if your dog is carrying or eating tulips, they may experience irritation and itching on their lips and in their teeth.

CAN TULIPS KILL DOGS?

Poisoning from tulips is not typically fatal. There is a remote possibility, however, that a very little dog, a young puppy, or a dog that swallows the entire bulb would experience severe symptoms and consequences that could threaten the dog’s life.

WHAT PARTS OF A TULIP ARE POISONOUS TO DOGS?

Canines should avoid coming into contact with any part of a tulip plant, including the root, leaf, stalk, and flower.

The bulbs are especially hazardous because to the elevated levels of Tulipalin and other deadly compounds present in the plant’s tissues. Due to the higher concentration of poisons in the bulb, even a small amount consumed by a dog will have a negative impact on its health. If a dog has eaten a tulip bulb instead of the blossoms or leaves, the poisoning will be far more severe.

WHAT HAPPENS IF MY DOG EATS A TULIP?

SYMPTOMS OF TULIP POISONING IN DOGS

Tulip poisoning in dogs can cause mild symptoms, such as vomiting and diarrhoea, or more severe symptoms, like cardiac difficulties and trouble breathing. Dogs and pups of smaller sizes are more likely to survive tulip poisoning because of the lower toxicity levels at which they are affected. Otherwise, any dog who eats a large amount of tulip leaves and blossoms or an entire bulb is at a higher risk of serious illness.

SYMPTOMS OF POISONING FROM EATING TULIPS INCLUDE:

Drooling too much
Vomiting
Diarrhoea
Discomfort and pain in the stomach
Absence of hunger
Depression
Irritation of the mouth and throat
Breathing problems
Rhythm disturbances in the heart
Tremors
Seizures
Tulips are not only irritating to a dog’s skin, but they are also toxic.

Your dog’s lips, mouth, and tongue may enlarge if exposed to tulip bulbs. In the event that your dog is rubbing his face and pawing at his snout in apparent pain, he may have consumed a tulip bulb or another foreign object that has caused pup-set. There may be inflammation, redness, and blistering in the mouth and throat.

Contact dermatitis may also be caused by the tulip’s chemical components. As I indicated before, handling tulips can cause a condition known as “tulip fingers” in humans, and the same could happen to your dog in the form of red, itchy skin.

SYMPTOMS OF CONTACT DERMATITIS IN DOGS INCLUDE:

• Itching
• Pawing at their face
• Chewing their paws
• Inflamed, red skin
• Rashes
• Scabs
• Dry fur
• Dandruff
• Bald patches
• Saliva and tear stains
• Thickening or darkening skin
• Infections

TREATMENT FOR TULIP POISONING

Treatment for your dog will depend on how quickly you realised they have eaten tulips and how severe their response has become. Since treating tulip poisoning requires reducing the amount of toxins already present in your dog’s body, your doctor will only be able to alleviate the dog’s symptoms rather than cure it. The veterinarian will also provide treatment for your dog to aid in his or her rehabilitation. If you suspect or know that your dog has eaten a tulip, you should immediately contact your veterinarian for guidance.

In mild cases of poisoning, your veterinarian may recommend keeping an eye on your dog. Moderate tulip poisoning causes stomach pain that typically subsides after a few hours. If your dog’s symptoms persist, however, veterinary attention is warranted.

The urgency with which your dog has to be seen by the vet depends on the dog’s condition and the risk level. Inducing vomiting in a dog that has recently consumed the tulip can help get rid of any remaining plant matter and stop Tulipalin from being absorbed further into the digestive tract.

Activated charcoal could be given to your dog in order to absorb the toxins and prevent them from entering the dog’s bloodstream. If this is not possible, the vet may decide to sedate your dog and pump his stomach (gastric lavage) to get rid of any remaining tulip.

The next step is for your veterinarian to provide your dog with supportive care to speed up the healing process. Intravenous fluids will be administered to your dog to prevent dehydration and assist in the elimination of waste products from the liver and kidneys. The acidity of their blood may be neutralised and their muscular and nerve functions could be preserved by administering electrolytes. If your dog is having trouble breathing, they may need to use oxygen for a while.

After getting your dog home, give it some quiet time and room to relax. In the time after an anaesthetic has been administered to your dog, he or she may be confused and have problems moving about. All you have to do is keep an eye on them as they relax.

WHAT PLANTS ARE TOXIC TO DOGS?

Our favourite houseplants may be the cause of our pets’ illness. Plants such as peace lilies and umbrella trees, as well as more common garden flowers such as tulips, daffodils, lilies, and hyacinths, are among those that are toxic to canines. Common plants like oaks and acorns, horse chestnuts and conkers, and ivy can all be harmful to your dog.

To find out if the plant you just purchased is harmful to canines, look it up here.