One common behavior among pets is their occasional tendency to chew and eat things they should not have. It’s planting season in Taos County, and this can be a risky time for our furry friends. We might unknowingly put them in danger by exposing them to toxic plants. Here’s a list of some common plants, flowers, and weeds that are toxic to dogs and cats, along with the symptoms your pet may experience if they ingest them. If you are unsure, it’s best to keep your canine and feline friends away from any questionable greenery.

• Morning Glory: Vomiting, agitation, diarrhea, loss of appetite, tremors, hallucinations, and liver failure.
• Paper White: Vomiting, salvation, diarrhea; large ingestions cause convulsions, low blood pressure, tremors, and cardiac arrhythmias. Bulbs are the most poisonous part.
• Purslane: Weakness, drooling, tremors, diarrhea, metabolic imbalance, and kidney failure.
• Amaryllis: Vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, hypersalivation, decreased appetite, lethargy, and tremors in cats and dogs.
• Lilies: Highly toxic to cats; even small amounts may cause severe kidney damage.
• Castor Bean: Vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, excessive thirst, weakness, trembling, loss of coordination, difficulty breathing, progressive central nervous system depression, and fever. Convulsions and coma can precede death.
• Sago Palm: Vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, and liver failure.
• Foxglove: Vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, cardiac failure, and death.
• Tulips: Drooling, loss of appetite, lethargy, seizures, and heart problems.
• Azaleas: Vomiting, drooling, diarrhea, and weakness. Severely poisoned pets can lapse into a coma and die from cardiovascular collapse.
• Marijuana: Ingestion of cannabis by companion animals can lead to depression of the central nervous system, vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, increased heart rate, and even seizures and coma. This plant does not affect our animals in the same ways it affects humans and should never be left within reach of our pets.

If you suspect your pet has ingested any of these plants, contact your veterinarian immediately. If you are calling outside of operating hours, please listen to the voicemail of your local veterinarian, as many have instructions on how to contact them for emergency services.

Taos Vet can be reached at (575) 758-7310. Taos Vet is on call for after-hours emergency services on Mondays, Tuesdays, and most weekends.

Angel Fire Vet can be reached at (575) 377- 3165 and will respond to emergency situations as they have the capacity to do so.

If you are unable to reach anyone for emergency services at these offices, please do not wait. The nearest 24-hour emergency clinics are Alpine Veterinary Clinic in Alamosa, Colorado and Roadrunner Veterinary located in Algondones, New Mexico. Alpine Veterinary Clinic can be reached at (719) 589-2615 during operating business hours and at (719) 852-2561 for 24-hour emergency services. Roadrunner Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Hospital can be reached (505) 384-6420. ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center can be reached at (888) 426-4435.

High Desert Hounds at (469) 644-8323, or HighDesertHoundsTaos@gmail.com or through our website a
www.HighDesertHounds.Org