Easter is often considered the beginning of spring flowers, and a time to celebrate the Easter Bunny with our children! Unknowingly, Easter can pose some major health risks to our furry family members.
The Easter lily is highly toxic to cats, all parts of the plant are poisonous; including: the petals, leaves, stem, and even pollen. If a cat ingests as few as one or two leaves, or a small amount of pollen while grooming their fur, they can suffer severe kidney failure.
Most commonly, symptoms including vomiting, loss of appetite, lethargy, and dehydration will begin to show within 6-12 hours. Symptoms will worsen to disorientation, staggering, and seizures as kidney failure develops.
If your cat consumes Easter lily please contact your vet immediatley. Treatment for Easter lily ingestion includes inducing vomiting, administering drugs like activated charcoal (to bind the poison in the stomach and intestines), IV fluid therapy to help flush out the kidneys, and blood work to help monitor kidney function. The general prognosis of this toxicity, is best when treated immediately, if left untreated the chances of survival are low.
Other types of lilies that are toxic to cats as well include Tiger lilies, Day lilies and Asiatic lilies. These lilies are popular both inside and outside of the home, and can also result in severe acute kidney failure.
Thankfully, lily poisoning does not occur in dogs or people, however, if a large amount is ingested, it can result in mild gastrointestinal issues such as vomiting and diarrhea.
Written by: Katie Mirzayan, Practice Manager