Are air plants toxic to our pets?

When choosing a plant to decorate our house, whether indoor or outdoor, it is very important to inform yourself in advance of its characteristics. Deal with experts, as our animals tend to nibble on everything they catch, especially dogs and cats.

There are numerous plants that are irritating and toxic – even for us – and with a simple contact with them, it can cause significant skin rashes. Other plants, when ingested, can cause serious stomach problems, vomiting and diarrhea, pupil dilation, excessive salivation, difficulty breathing, and can even cause death.

Toxic plants for our pets

Many of these decorative plants such as the tillandsias that we all have at home, suffer when our pet has approached them, maybe there is bitten,  or they have done it and nothing has happened, it can be. But an occasional intake can lead to multiple damages.

• Aloe Vera (The bark, its gel is therapeutic).
• Strelitzia (Bird of Paradise).
• Eucalyptus.
• Ivy.
• Monstera (Adam's Rib).
• Daffodil.
• Sagú Palm.
• Butt.
• Tulip.

What are the damages that toxic plants produce in our pets?

• Presence of light and infrequent vomiting, to more intense and frequent.
• Diarrhea.
• Color of urine.
• Shortness of breath.
• Changes in their skin, fur.
• Fever.
• Constant salivation.

What do we do in case of poisoning? ⚠️

If the pet presents some symptoms of intoxication of those mentioned above by the intake of some plants, the first thing that will be done is to go to the veterinarian. You will be given symptomatic measurements, administering medications (usually diuretics) to irradiate the poisoning, gastric emptying, administration of activated charcoal.

Care!

Chemical fertilizers and insecticides are always toxic to pets. There are ecological alternatives that in addition to not damaging the ecosystem.
Saray, editor of this article, is a veterinary assistant, expert in phytotherapy, and animal nutrition. In his blog huellamedicinal.com and Instagram profile @srta.botanica she teaches us the best organic fertilizers and insecticides that she manufactures for her plants with 100% natural products and teaches us how to manufacture for ours. If you are a plant lover you have to follow it. 

Non-toxic plants for our pets

Of course there is a variety of plants suitable for our pet. That they can be within your reach without harming your health and well-being.

• Tillandsias (air plants).
• Alocasias.
• Fruit bushes.
• Arecas.
• Aromatic (alfalfa, basil, mint, rosemary, parsley,)
• Bamboo.
• Calathea.
• Cactus (without spikes to avoid injury).
• Tapes.
• Dracenas
• Ferns.
• Fig trees.
• Jade.
• Orchids.
• Peperomias.
• Sansevierias.
• Succulent.
• Yuccas.
• Zamioculcas.

What happens if your pet eats your tillandsia?

The saliva of our animal has a more alkaline pH if we compare it with that of humans. This saliva helps you to perform a small digestion of carbohydrates, in this case the fiber provided by the air plants.. Before the intake of a tillandsia when it is processed by your stomach, its gastric juices (contain bicarbonate in large quantities), help you synthesize and neutralize the ingredients of this type of epiphytic plants. Not causing stomach damage, irritation or heartburn in your stomach. It absorbs nutrients as if it were a vegetable. These plants contain a high nitrogen content, they are not parasitic for the animal.

We can find cases where the animal does not present any symptoms of discomfort for ingesting it, and other cases that do cause it, but most of these are due to a poor diet where our animal is not correctly processing the vegetable, or by pathological problems of the pet.


The tillandsias provide that emotional well-being just by seeing them, if our energy is positive, the animal will not even tend to bite them, because it creates the bond with it as if it were one more of the family.  

Article written by Saray Santana
My name is Saray, I am a veterinary assistant, expert in phytotherapy, and animal nutrition. I firmly believe in the importance of the emotional and physical stability of our animals. Developing efficient and intelligent habits fostering understanding between them and their environment.

Instagram: @srta.botanica