Spring has sprung……….

Our Arizona spring weather is the envy of the country and turns our people into weekend gardeners.   I see new plants popping up everywhere when we go on our walks through the neighborhood.  I wonder….do people put any thought into making sure these plants are safe for us?  Do they even know which plants are safe and which can make us sick or kill us?

Oleanders are one of the most prolific shrubs in AZ.  You can’t kill these things but they CAN kill your pets!  I personally, have never been tempted to eat one but some dogs (especially puppies) will dig up and/or eat any newly planted greenery just for fun.  Dogs do like to eat grass from time to time.   With water conservation being encouraged, many people opt for desert landscaping so we’ll sometimes graze on whatever happens to be green.  Don’t leave your pet unattended outdoors for long periods of time or create barriers around plants that can harm us.

Another plant that Arizonans love are aloe.  Great for burns and host of other uses for humans, but toxic to dogs and cats.  When ingested, the aloe plants can wreak havoc on our tummies and make us vomit and have a terrible case of diarrhea.  Let’s be honest….we ALWAYS find the carpet when we need to do either of those!  Below are some of the plants that can hurt us.  Tomorrow, I’m going to share what plants we like and some that even good for us!

 Plants that can harm your pet:

Keep a pet first aid kit and this number handy in case you suspect we ate something harmful: