Poisonous Plants and Flowers

I love to go for walks out in the wild as do may other dogs and their owners. It's amazing how many hazards lie ahead though while out in the wilderness. 

Remember as always the smaller the dog the greater side effect; so toy dogs (Maltese, Yorkshire Terrier, Shih Tzu and Pugs etc) are a higher risk.

Here are a list of the most hazardous plants and flowers you and your fur friend may encounter. 

Aconitum

Causes weakness, heart issues, seizures and muscle tremors.

Amaryllis

Causes digestive issues (vomiting, diarrhoea and pain) as well as lack of appetite, low mood and tremors.

Asparagus fern 

Can cause skin irritation.

Autumn Crocus (bulbs)

While the whole plant is toxic to dogs, the highest danger lies in the bulbs. If any of the plant is ingested it can cause burning in the mouth, heart problems, kidney/liver damage as well as seizures and digestive issues (vomiting and diarrhoea).

Azalea

Can cause vomiting, diarrhoea and blood pressure issues resulting in coma and worse case can be fatal. Even eating just a few leaves can have an effect.

Cyclamen

Can cause irritation in the mouth, diarrhoea, heart issues, seizures and even fatal.

Daffodil (bulbs)

The bulb again is the highest toxic part, however eating any of the plant can cause digestive upset (vomiting, diarrhoea and pain), blood pressure drops and convulsions.

Day lilies

Causes heart problems, vomiting and kidney failure.

Delphiniums (known also as Larkspur)

Can cause serious neuromuscular issues, even in humans it can be fatal!

Dieffenbachia (also known as Dumb Cane) 

If eaten can cause burning in the mouth and vomiting. This plant is common within households.

Foxgloves

Causes Digestive issues (sickness and diarrhoea  as well as drooling excessively, heart issues and dilated pupils.

Hemlock

Causes breathing problems, and heart issues as well as seizures.

Hyacinth

Causes lack of appetite, vomiting and oral irritation.

Hydrangea

Causes low mood, vomiting and diarrhoea.

Ivy 

Causes digestive issues (sickness, diarrhoea, pain and drooling).

Kalanchoe 

Common plant found within houses, can cause diarrhoea and vomiting and even heart problems.

Laburnum 

Ingestion of any of the plant could be fatal.

Lily of the valley 

Causes sickness, diarrhoea, heart problems and seizures.

Lupins

Causes breathing problems, liver damage, muscle spasms, lack of coordination, foaming at the mouth and can be fatal.

Morning glory

What’s the story morning glory, well... not good! If ingested can cause Sickness, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, muscle spasms, liver damage and confusion.

Nettles

Causes upset to the digestive system (vomiting, diarrhoea and long term damage)

Nightshade 

Causes low mood, heart issues and is highly toxic causing death.

Oleander

Mostly found in the USA. Can cause heart problems, lack of coordination, internal bleeding, muscle issues and digestive problems (vomiting and diarrhoea).

Poinsettia

Popular around Christmas! Causes upset to the digestive system (vomiting, diarrhoea and long term damage)

Rhododendron

Causes excessive drooling, sickness, diarrhoea, neuromuscular problems and weakness.

Rhubarb leaves 

The leaves are highly toxic and can cause excessive drooling, tremors and kidney failure.

Sago Palm

Can cause internal bleeding, vomiting, diarrhoea, liver failure and can even be fatal.

Sweet pea

Causes sickness, diarrhoea, seizures, lack of appetite and death.

Tansy 

Causes upset to the digestive system (vomiting, diarrhoea and long term damage)

Tulip (bulbs)

While the bulb is the highest concentration of toxicity the whole plant should be avoided and can cause nausea, drooling and irritation in the mouth.  

Umbrella plant

Causes drooling, facial irritation/swelling, sickness/diarrhoea and restlessness/pacing.

Wisteria 

Causes upset to the digestive system (vomiting, diarrhoea and long term damage)

Yew

Causes excessive drooling and sickness, even breathing and heart problems; as well as dilated pupils and seizures.

If you see your dog eating any of these or show signs that they have then seek veterinary attention immediately. 

Nicknames!

Let’s talk nicknames! My owners call me melon head, it came out one day and stuck after that! Drop a picture of your pet and what nickname you call them 🙂 🍈 🐾

I’m now on Facebook!

Join me on Facebook to see more of my adventures!
https://m.facebook.com/adventuresofralph

Fresh trim and cologne

It’s that time of the month again when I get my hair trimmed by my groomer!
I love it as I get pampered and always get a new bow everyone I come out.
She is a mobile groomer too so my parents don’t even need to take me out in the car to get there.
Every time I leave the groomers I always get a spritz of fragrance which lasts for days :-)
My owners love this too and asked which one it was the last time I went. It is called duke and was on amazon so they bought some too.
It smells a lot like Joop, it’s great.

Here is the link to the full review on my review page: Click here

Until next time! 

Ralph 🐾

Foods to avoid

Today I had a festive visit to the vets! After I crept in to the living room undetected for the first time ever I jumped up and grabbed some food from the side table. The food in question was a tasty looking mince pie! When my owner fond me polishing off the remains of it, he thought best to check on-line to see if it would be dangerous. Due to the high content of raisins etc he found out these are highly toxic. A swift call to the vet and we were on the way. I had to have an injection which induced vomiting to remove the danger (I wish I'd of known before eating it now!). They were also given some charcoal mixture to give me to make sure if there were any remains in there they would pass through without being absorbed. Here is a picture of me after having the mixture: 


After my trip to the vets!

So that your furry friends don't go through the same or worse I have listed all the foods to keep them away form. The smaller the dog then the higher the chance of  having the following effects. If you suspect any of the below then seek advice from a vet to be on the safe side! 

Remember to share me with your friends too to make them aware!


Alcohol (highly toxic) 
(Including Beer, Wine, spirits and food that contains alcohol) Can cause vomiting, damage to the nervous system, diarrhea, breathing problems, even causing a coma and worse death.

Almonds (in large amounts) 
Causes stomach upsets. Many times they are coated in chocolate or salt too! 

Avocado (highly toxic) 
Contains Persin which is toxic to dogs, it is contained in the leaves, seed, bark and the fruit itself

Bones/fat
Although deemed popular giving dogs bones is highly dangerous, they can splinter and cause internal problems. Also any fat either cooked or raw can cause pancreatitis for dogs.

Brazil nuts (in large amounts) 
Can cause upset stomach and due to their fatty nature can cause pancreatitis if lots are consumed.

Broccoli
Causes sickness and diarrhea as well as bloating. This is the same for similar cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, kale and cauliflower. 

Cacao (highly toxic)
See chocolate

Cacao nibs (highly toxic)
See chocolate

Caffeine (highly toxic) 
Tea, coffee or any other form of caffeine can be fatal for a dog. Signs of poisoning could include, heart problems, tremors, rapid breathing, being restless and even bleeding. Cocoa contains caffeine and so do energy drinks and some medication

Candy 
Anything like this can contain artificial sweeteners such as Xylitol (see description of what is causes below)

Cherries
Similar to peaches and plums, the stones/pips contain cyanide which is highly toxic and cause fatality as well as the danger of obstruction if swallowed. Signs could be difficulty breathing, dilated pupils. sickness or diarrhea

Chives (highly toxic)
Causes oral irritation, sickness, diarrhoea, drooling and being lethargic.

Chocolate (highly toxic)
In any form, human chocolate is dangerous (The darker the more toxic)! Even a small amount can cause sickness, diarrhoea, heart problems, seizures and even fatality. Chocolate containing nuts adds more so to the danger!

Corn on the cob (Sweetcorn)
Due to not being broken down in the digestive system this can cause sickness, lack of appetite, stomach pains and difficulty going to the toilet. 

Currants (highly toxic)
Same as Grapes

Dates 
High in sugar, causes diarrhoea and other symptoms linked to too much sugar. 

Garlic / Onions / Shallots (highly toxic)
In large quantities this can be dangerous, includes all forms, natural, raw or cooked, powdered or dehydrated. The build up of smaller amounts can cause damage to red blood cells causing anemia, even one large portion can cause the same effect

Tomatoes (green/Red) (highly toxic)
Can cause lack of appetite, sickness, diarrhoea, weakness, heart problems, low mood and dilated pupils. 

Grapes (highly toxic) 
These are highly toxic and can cause kidney failure for dogs! Any product derived from grapes is included such as raisins and sultanas

Grapefruit 
If ingested can cause low mood, sickness and diarrhoea

Human Medicine 
Keep all medication out of reach of your dog. Even pain relief can be fatal if ingested by dogs. 

Lemons and limes
Symptoms of poisoning can include collapsing, sickness/diarrhoea, excessive drooling, low mood and cold limbs.

Macadamia nuts (highly toxic) 
These nuts can cause illness even after a small amount like a handful! Any food containing these nuts should be avoided. They could even be fatal…! 

Milk and milk based produce such as dairy 
Unless it is lactose-free then this can cause digestive system issues such as vomiting or diarrhoea, can also cause food allergies

Moulds (highly toxic) 
Mouldy bread, nuts and dairy foods plus blue cheese like Stilton etc… If ingested can cause sickness/diarrhoea, tremors, high fever, stomach pains, being disorientated and jaundice.

Mushrooms
Can cause sickness/diarrhoea, lethargy, jaundice, excessive drooling. 

Mustard seeds 
Causes digestive upset, vomiting and diarrhea. 

Peaches and Plums etc 
The stones/pips contain cyanide which is highly toxic and cause fatality as well as the danger of obstruction if swallowed.

Peanut butter (If containing sweetener)
All artificial sweeteners such as are toxic to dogs this includes Xylitol, Aspartame etc - See Xylitol description below

Pecan nuts
Can lead to the onset of liver damage if consumed due to containing aflatoxin.

Pistachio nuts
Can lead to the onset of liver damage if consumed due to containing aflatoxin.

Rhubarb (leaves) (highly toxic)
The leaves are highly toxic and can cause excessive drooling, tremors and kidney failure.

Raisins (highly toxic) 
Same as Grapes

Raw Eggs 
Risk of food poisoning such as Salmonella, E.Coli etc. Raw egg also causes skin and coat problems.

Saffron
Causes irritation in the mouth, issues swallowing, sickness/diarrhea, weakness and even go in to shock

Salt
Salt is on many foods such as crisps and chips (Dorito’s etc). Ingesting too much can cause Sodium Ion poisoning including sickness, diarrhoea, low mood, high temperature (leading to seizures) and even death. 


Sugary Foods and Drinks
Causes obesity, rotting teeth and even diabetes. 

Sultanas (highly toxic) 
Same as Grapes

Sweeteners (highly toxic)
All artificial sweeteners such as Xylitol, Aspartame etc are toxic to dogs. Ingestion can cause a rush of insulin in your dog and means the blood sugar level will drop causing sickness,  losing coordination and eventually liver failure within a matter of days.

Walnuts (highly toxic) 
Causes stomach upsets, also if it contains mould then it can cause seizures and neurological issues

Yeast Dough
 If eaten this will in essence rise within your dogs stomach causing swelling. Also converts to alcohol when fermented (See alcohol dangers above)

I hope you found this useful! 

Ralph :-)

Picking up a new Maltese puppy

Today was an exciting day as my new owners came to see me for the first time.

When looking to get a new puppy it is important to do your research and it’s always a good idea to get one from a reputable breeder and not a pet shop. Especially with a delicate bread like a Maltese such as myself.

Luckily my new owners had researched and found that my breeder had a good track record.

When they arrived I was in my natural surroundings with my mum and dad both in the room alongside my siblings.

I was alert and playful not over bossy so it made it easy for them to pick me out of the litter.

I was sad to see them leave but I wasn’t ready to leave yet as I wasn’t 8 weeks old. This is the ideal time that I can leave for a new home, especially being a delicate toy breed.

I still had a bit of time to spend with my siblings and learn some social skills too.

Because my breeder was responsible they ensured I was chipped and had the relevant injections & health checks.

I had a toy placed with my mum to pick up her scent to help me when I go to my new home.
My adventures were just about to begin!  🐾