The Zimbabwean Gardener Issue 3 Summer 2012 | Page 49

Animal Health SPCA Keep the lilies An SPCA Success Story! away from the cats! Lilies are attractive flowers and an asset to anyone’s garden. They are also commonly used in household arrangements. What many people do not realize is that these plants, when ingested by cats, cause their kidneys to fail and the results are often fatal. The toxic mechanism of how lilies affect our feline friends in not actually known. What has been realised, however, is that the whole plant, not just the pollen, is deadly. Some years ago, it was discovered that cats, especially those indoors, would brush up against an arrangement of lilies causing the transfer of the yellow pollen onto their fur. This would then be washed off by the cat licking itself and ingested. Symptoms of lily poisoning can become apparent 30 minutes to 12 hours after ingestion. Most owners do not know there is something wrong, usually, until the cat becomes unwell or are aware that lilies are bad for cats and notice the cat chewing at a plant or licking yellow stuff off their coat. Dogs and rabbits strangely enough are not affected, but I wouldn’t recommend experimenting! What to look out for Initially first signs are vomiting, depression and loss of appetite. The part of the body that is primarily affected is the kidneys, so the cat will also display signs of ‘renal failure’, which include increase thirst and increased urination. Poisoning signs may also become apparent such as tremors or seizures. What to do next If you see any yellow powder or pollen on the coat, wash it off immediately with water. Take your cat straight to the vet. At the surgery, rapid treatment, usually intravenous fluid therapy, will increase the chances of a successful outcome. Please note that if you see your cat eating a lily or ingesting pollen and the cat vomits, it does not mean all the toxins have been expelled. The cat must be taken to the vet anyway. Delayed treatment will result in a guarded prognosis and the mortality rate for this type of poisoning is high. From the SPCA: “Frankie came to the SPCA in April 2012 for treatment for weight loss, malnutrition and wobbly legs. The owner of Frankie could not handle the potential financial burden of having a dog that was unwell so opted to surrender Frankie to the society. He was looked after at the hospital for several weeks until he was adopted in May.” From his new owner: “When I first saw Frankie at Harare SPCA, his eyes had a pleading look in them and I simply couldn’t leave him there. Frankie seems to know he has landed in doggie heaven and never misbehaves. On arriving at our home, he gathered as many belongings as he could, such as toys, shoes, books, clothes, and then surrounded himself with these objects. They seemed to comfort him yet he never chewed a single thing! He loves the company of the family cats and can often be found snuggled up with one on a bed. To us, he is the perfect dog.” Types of lilies that have been reported as toxic The following have been reported as toxic: Tiger lily, Rubrum lily, Asian lily, Stargazer lily, Easter lily and Day lilies. There have been no reports that our own Flame lily is toxic but as it is part of the Lily family, we will assume it is. Cats usually are fairly intelligent creatures and most lily toxicity is reported in indoor felines as they are often bored and commonly attack houseplants and arrangements for something to do. It is important, however, to be aware that these plants are toxic as they are popular in flower arrangements so ideally if you have cats, get a lovely bunch of roses to put in a vase instead! Contact details or to make a donation to Harare SPCA: Tel: [phone] or 581 347 Email: [email protected] Barclays Bank Cripps Road Branch No 2199 Acc No: 1012419621 49