Lilies, Chocolate Can Be Fatal To Pets

By Greg Perrault, DVM

Many people are unaware of the dangers this holiday season brings to their pets. Two major hazards are lilies to cats and chocolate to dogs.

Although cats are finicky eaters, for some unknown reason they eat the leaves and flowers of lilies. All parts of the lily plant are considered toxic to cats and consuming even small amounts can cause severe poisoning. For practical purposes, all lilies should be considered toxic to cats. Lilies cause rapid and severe kidney failure.

Within only a few hours of ingestion of the lily plant material, the cat may vomit, become lethargic, or develop a lack of appetite. However, most cats do not show any symptoms initially. These signs continue and worsen as kidney damage progresses.

Without prompt and proper treatment by a veterinarian, the cat may develop kidney failure in approximately 36-72 hours. Untreated cases are usually fatal.

I usually see a few cases of lily toxicity around this time of year. I’ve had two this month and I would like to share one of the cases with you. This particular case proves that no good deed goes unpunished.

I have a very nice client named Jenny and I see her cats. Recently, Jenny broke both her wrists while snowboarding. To brighten her mood and home, a friend gave her flowers. They happen to be lilies.

We received a call from Jenny last Saturday that one of her cats, Vera, was chewing on the lilies. She asked if she should be concerned. Long story short, Vera spent a few days in the hospital and Jenny’s quick thinking saved her life. Coincidently she also has a cat named Lily.

While lilies are toxic to cats, chocolate is very dangerous to dogs. Many people have heard that chocolate is toxic to dogs but may not know why. Initially chocolate may upset your dog’s digestive system due to high levels of fat and sugar, which may cause vomiting and diarrhea. But that is only the beginning.

Chocolate contains theobromine, a chemical that is similar to caffeine. In people, theobromine is the feel-good ingredient in chocolate that is known for releasing seratonin. It is this chemical that can lead to poisoning in dogs.

In a few hours, the effects of theobromine will begin, causing your dog to urinate more and become agitated and excitable. More dangerous symptoms can develop including an irregular heartbeat, blood pressure changes and seizures, which if left untreated can be fatal.

All chocolate contains theobromine. However, the darker the chocolate is, the more theobromine it contains Baker’s chocolate is the most toxic. A high-quality baking chocolate can have theobromine levels of 450 mg per ounce. It only takes about 1,000 mg to be toxic to a little dog. That means as little as two ounces of dark chocolate is potentially poisonous to a 10 pound dog!

Milk chocolate, such as candy bars, has less theobromine than baker’s chocolate but is still dangerous. An 8-ounce chocolate bar would be trouble for that same 10-pound dog.

Remember to keep lilies and chocolate out of reach of your furry four-legged friends. If your pet ingests either of these, immediately contact your veterinarian.

Have a great holiday season and see you next month.

Dr. Greg Perrault owns and operates Cats & Dogs Animal Hospital in Long Beach.