Prevent Pet Poisoning

When it comes to pet poisoning, prevention is the best medicine. As birds are sensitive to many foods, plants, and chemicals, we have developed the following lists of poisonous/toxic hazards. These lists are applicable to many of your avian and exotic pets, and when in doubt it is always better to err on the side of caution and stick with what you know is safe.

If you suspect that your animal companion has been exposed to a hazard or toxin, please contact your veterinarian immediately! Do not attempt to make your pet vomit at home as this can lead to aspiration pneumonia, stomach ulcers, and occasionally cardiac arrest.  Some animals are unable to vomit (rabbits and rodents especially) and attempting to make them do so may result in the rupture of their stomach.  Vomiting should only be induced under veterinary supervision for your pet’s safety.

FOODS TO AVOID:
Avocado
Chocolate
Coffee
Onions/Garlic
Rhubarb
Xylitol (artificial sweetener)

PRODUCTS TO AVOID:
Automotive Supplies (antifreeze, oil, gasoline)
Cleaning Products (any creating fumes or leaving residue)
Fertilizers
Human Medications
Pest Control Products
Teflon (creates deadly fumes if overheated)

PLANTS TO AVOID:
Acorn, Amanita, Amaryllis, Andromeda, Arum, Autumn Crocus or Meadow Saffron, Australian Flame Tree, Avocado, Azalea

Baneberry, Beans (Broad, Castor, Fava, Glory, Horse, Navy, Precatory, Scarlet Runner), Birds of Paradise, Bishop’s Weed, Black Laurel, Black Locust, Bleeding Heart or Dutchman’s Breeches, Bloodroot, Blue Bonnet, Blue Green Algae, Boxwood, Bracken Fern, Buckthorn, Bulb Flowers (Amaryllis, Daffodil, Hyacinth, Iris, Narcissus), Burdock, Buttercup

Cacao, Camel Bush, Caladium, Canna Lily, Cardinal Flower, Chalice (Trumpet Vine), Cherry Tree, China Berry Tree, Christmas Candle, Clematis, Cocklebur, Coffee Senna, Coffee Bean (Rattle Bush, Rattle Box, Coffee Weed), Coral Plant, Coriander, Corncockle, Coyotillo, Cowslip, Cutleaf Philodendron, Cycads

Datura, Daphne, Death Camus, Delphinium, Devil Ivy, Dieffenbachia (Dumb Cane)

Elderberry, Elephant Ear (Taro), Ergot, Eucalyptus (Dried, Dyed or Treated in floral arrangements), Euonymus (Spindle Tree)

False Hellebore, Felt Plant (Air, Maternity, Panda), Fire Thorn, Four O’Clock, Foxglove

Glottidium, Golden Chain, Grass (Broom Corn, Johnson, Sorghum, Sudan), Ground Cherry

Heaths (Kalma, Leucotho, Mountain Laurel, Pieris, Rhododendron), Heliotrope, Hemlock (Poison, Water), Henbane, Holly, Honeysuckle, Horse Chestnut, Horse Tail, Hydrangea

Ivy (English and Other)

Jack in the Pulpit, Jasmine, Jimson Weed

Kentucky Coffee Tree

Lady Slipper, Lantana, Larkspur, Lily of the Valley (Calla Lily, Peace Lily), Locoweed (Milk Vetch), Locusts (Black and Honey), Lords & Ladies, Lupine

Malaga, Marijuana, Mayalppe, Mexican Poppy, Milk Bush, Milk Weed (Cotton Bush), Mistletoe, Mock Orange, Monkshood, Morning Glory, Mother-in-Law plant (Snake Plant), Mushrooms

Naked Lady, Narcissus, Nettles, Nightshade (Black, Bittersweet, Cherry, Deadly, Eggplant, Garden, Jerusalem, Woody), Nutmeg

Oak, Oleander

Peony, Periwinkle, Peyote, Philodendrons (Split Leaf, Swiss Cheese), Pigweed, Pine, Poinciana, Poison Ivy, Poison Oak (Eastern & Western), Poke Weed, Poppy, Potato Shoots (Berries and Tubers), Privet, Pyracantha

Rain Tree, Ranculus (Buttercup), Rape, Rattlebox, Red Maple, Rhododendron

Sand Box Tree, Skunk Cabbage, Sorrel (Dock), Snow Drop, Spurge (Candelabra, Crown of Thorn, Pencil Tree, Snow on Mountain), Sweet Pea

Tansy Root, Tobacco

Vetch (Common and Hairy), Virginia Creeper

Wattle, White Cedar, Wisteria

Yew, Yellow Jasmine

PET POISON CONTROL HOTLINES (fees apply):
ASPCA Poison Control: 1-888-426-4435
Pet Poison Helpline: 1-855-764-7661