There is however a stipulation to whatever we grow ... It has to be pet safe for Shabba.
I'll be honest, I have no idea what type of plants would be toxic to Shabba which as a pet owner, is an important thing to know. That's why I'm glad to be able to tell you about a campaign that has recently been launched.
MORE TH>N and Charlie Dimmock have teamed up to launched a new Pet Safe campaign to raise awareness of pets potentially being poisoned by common household plants and flowers – which is particularly timely given that pets are likely to spend more time outdoors over the next few months due to improving weather.
Their aim to to highlight the hidden dangers that some of the most common plants in British gardens can possess to our four legged friends.
"With four in every five household gardens containing toxic plants, it’s no surprise that almost 10% of cats and dogs have ingested poisonous plants or flowers. Of those, 43% subsequently needed urgent veterinary care, while 15% sadly passed away".
MORE TH>N has found that 78% of British gardens contain plants that are toxic to cats and dogs. With one in every three pet owners (31%) admitting they have no idea if the plants and flowers in their gardens are toxic. This includes myself, however MORE TH>N have put together a list of safe flowers for your garden including Fuchsia, Lavender and Sunflowers. You can find the list HERE.
MORE TH>N have found that 71% of all pet owners cannot identify any of the symptoms of poisoning in their cat or dog which is also worrying as delaying getting treatment can make the outcome a lot more serious. These symptoms can include ...
They have put together some information for pet owners highlighting the dangers that some of these garden plants can cause.
MORE TH>N has found that 78% of British gardens contain plants that are toxic to cats and dogs. With one in every three pet owners (31%) admitting they have no idea if the plants and flowers in their gardens are toxic. This includes myself, however MORE TH>N have put together a list of safe flowers for your garden including Fuchsia, Lavender and Sunflowers. You can find the list HERE.
I was really surprised to find how common some of the most dangerous plants were. Many of which I have had in my garden in the past.
Its not just flowering plants that can present a problem for our pets, It turns out there are food plants that can poison them too like Asparagus, Grape vines and Tomato plants. There is a more detailed list of toxic plants that can be found HERE.
Oral or skin irritation
Upset stomach / Vomiting / Diarrhoea
Weakness
Rapid breathing
Fever
Drooling
Coma
Heart failure
Depression
Excitability or lethargy
Tremors/Seizures/Fitting
Increased Thirst
Dilated Pupils
Dizziness / Loss of Balance
Disorientation
Its important that if you think your pet may have ingested something toxic that you get help from your vet right away.
Pet owners can also win free pet friendly flower seeds via MORE TH>N’s social channels; www.facebook.com/morethan and www.twitter.com/morethan.
So how can you help support the campaign?
I for one am going to make sure than any plant we buy for the garden are pet safe to ensure both my little boy and my furry boy can play safely and have fun.
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