Are Tulips Toxic To Dogs?

Dogs love to go around and stick their noses in all the wrong places. If you are a plant lover, you must be careful what you grow, so that your dog doesn’t risk eating something they shouldn’t.

Tulips are beautiful and you might be tempted to keep them in the house, but they are poisonous to dogs. They contain glucosides, a chemical that is damaging to the protein synthesis in dogs’ cells. This chemical can even affect people, causing rashes in large quantities. All parts of a tulip are poisonous, but the bulbs contain most of the toxins.

While all dogs are affected, small dogs and puppies are at a higher risk. Because they are smaller, they can become dehydrated quicker. The toxins cause vomiting and diarrhea, and dogs can develop an intestinal blockage in large quantities.

If dogs digest lower quantities, they can develop mouth and stomach irritations. In larger quantities, it can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, drooling, tremors, increased heart rate, and difficulty breathing. In extreme cases, sudden death might occur.

If you suspect your dog ate tulips, get them to a veterinarian immediately. If you catch your dog in the act, try to distract them and take the tulip out of their mouth. Then carefully rinse their mouth and call a poison control hotline to assess if the dog is at risk and should be taken to a vet.

Treatment will depend from case to case. In severe cases, your dog will need to have gastric lavage and be monitored for a few weeks.