Many of us are already getting spring fever and wanting to get out to our gardens. We’ve been pining over the gorgeous pictures in the seed catalogues, hoping our yard will look as lovely. But did you know that many of our beloved southern plants are poisonous to dogs?

Plant poisoning is the third most common reason for emergency vet visits. Many house plants are also toxic to dogs. Don’t make the mistake of believing that a dog won’t eat something that is poisonous or dangerous. Dogs are chewers, and anything from bark to twigs to leaves to your kid’s socks are fair game when it comes to entertaining themselves by chewing.

If a dog is poisoned or has a toxic reaction to ingesting plants, they may suffer from upset stomach, vomiting, delirium, seizures, heart issues or even death. An abundance of non-toxic plants will look beautiful in your yard, and we will cover some alternatives below.

Even if your dog isn’t inclined to nibble on plants, you need to watch them closely if you have the following plants in your yard.

– Hydrangea

– Crocus, daffodil or certain lily bulbs

– Azaleas

– Verbena

– Holly

– Ivy

– Black Walnut

So, what is a gardening, dog lover to do? Consider some of these lovely plants as lawn ornaments and beautifiers. These plants are safe for your dogs:

– Camellia (The State Flower of Alabama)

– Dogwood

– Bamboo

– Magnolia

– Forsythia

If you suspect that your dog may have eaten a toxic plant, contact your veterinarian or the Pet Poison Hotline at (855) 764-7661 immediately. If your dog has vomited, put the vomit in a sealable bag and bring it to your vet. Identifying the plant ingested will help your vet to quickly determine the proper treatment.

It is such a pleasure to have a lovely yard, full of blooms and color. For a complete list of dog friendly plants, visit k9ofmine.com for more information.