As tradition dictates, your home is likely to be adorned with a bouquet of lilies of the valley on 1 May. But you need to take certain precautions.
Lily of the valley is highly toxic to dogs and cats (and humans).
Lily of the valley is classified as a highly toxic plant.
All parts of the plant, including the leaves, flowers, stems and even the water in which it is placed, contain irritating substances and toxic by-products that can cause serious health problems, particularly to the heart. Even when faded, lily of the valley remains toxic.
Symptoms appear quickly
Symptoms of intoxication can appear between 15 minutes and 6 hours after ingestion and include vomiting, hypersalivation, diarrhoea (sometimes haemorrhagic), nervous disorders such as agitation, tremors, convulsions, and serious heart rhythm disorders accompanied by rapid breathing. In the event of ingestion, it is vital to contact a vet or the Animal Poison Control Centre immediately for advice and appropriate treatment.
How to avoid a serious accident
There is no antidote.
Prevention
To avoid any risk, we recommend keeping lily of the valley out of reach of dogs, especially during the flowering periods in spring and autumn, when the red berries appear.
If swallowed: don’t wait. This is a life-threatening emergency.
- In the event of ingestion, it is vital to contact your vet immediately.
- If your clinic is closed, contact the veterinary emergency service immediately.
- You can also get advice from the two Veterinary Poison Control Centres: the Centre Antipoison Animal et Environnemental de l’Ouest (CAPA Ouest, tel: 02 40 68 77 39 ) and the Centre National d’Informations Toxicologiques Vétérinaires (CNITV, tel: 04 78 87 10 40). They are open 7 days a week from 8.30am to midnight.