There are several benefits of having plants inside your home. They can help clean the air, boost healing, and have mental benefits that enable you to think clearer and work better. However, not all plants are created the same. There are those that should be grown with extra precaution because they are toxic. Touching or ingesting them can cause allergies, abdominal upset, and other serious health problems to both humans and pets.

If you want to poison-proof your home especially if you have pets and inquisitive kids, then you better avoid the following toxic houseplants:

Daffodils

Daffodil is the other name for a family of plants called Narcissus. These plants have bright and fragrant flowers with long and flat leaves. But these plants can be toxic especially when ingested.

All parts of this plant has a toxin called lycorine. The bulb of the daffodil has the highest concentration of the toxin. When ingested, a person or pet would manifest any of the following symptoms: vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. These Symptoms usually last for hours.

Eating the bulb will cause severe irritation to the lips, tongue, and throat. Aside from the severe burning sensation, it also causes skin irritation.

When daffodils are accidentally ingested, rinsing the mouth with water and drinking water or milk are among the remedies. Dehydration should be watched out for especially if vomiting and diarrhea persist. Medical intervention should be sought immediately especially if the person suffers from other symptoms like throat pain and difficulty in swallowing.

Easter Lily

Easter Lily is one of those potentially dangerous lilies belonging to Lilium species. Ingesting this plant can cause serious problems to your cat. Just a small part of an Easter Lily can lead to cat’s death as a result of kidney failure.

When your cat accidentally eats a part of this plant, immediately bring him/her to the nearest veterinarian. The sooner you bring your pet, the better is the prognosis. Expect that your cat will undergo decontamination process which involves induced vomiting or giving of activated charcoal. The veterinarian may also hook your cat to an intravenous fluid and there will be continuous monitoring especially on the first 18 hours.

English Ivy

Typically found in Europe, United States, and Canada, all parts of the English Ivy are considered poisonous although the most toxic ones are its leaves and berries. Most symptoms of English Ivy poisoning take place when large amounts of the plant are ingested. The symptoms are brought about by the toxins falcarinol and polyacetylene.

Some of the symptoms of English Ivy poisoning include contact dermatitis, skin blistering, stomach upset, nausea, vomiting, drooling, fever, weakness, and increased thirst. These symptoms can be alleviated by washing the affected site and taking of corticosteroids for skin reactions. It’s also important to seek medical advice as soon as possible when these symptoms are observed.

Oleander

Oleander (Nerium oleander) is a famous flowering indoor shrub that is extremely poisonous. It can be toxic to anyone who eats the flowers or chews the leaves. The poisonous ingredients this plant has include neriin, oleandrin, and digitoxigenin.

The toxins found in the plant can affect different systems of the body. It causes slow heart rate, low blood pressure, weakness, blurring of vision, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, confusion, dizziness, rash, hives, and even death. When any part of this plant is ingested, the person or the pet must be rushed to the nearest hospital.

Some of the remedies for Oleander poisoning include the administration of activated charcoal, intravenous fluids, medications that reverse the effect of the poison, and constant monitoring. Several tests may be conducted to make sure the patient is free from the toxins. These tests include urinalysis, chest x-ray, blood tests, and electrocardiogram (EKG).

Sago Palm

Considered as one of the oldest living plants, Sago Palm can be toxic especially to dogs. All parts of it including its seeds and roots are poisonous.

Ingestion of any part of this plant can lead to symptoms like vomiting, bleeding, bloody diarrhea, increased thirst, bruising, and even death. These symptoms are brought about by the toxin found in the plant called cycasin.

If you suspect that your pet has ingested any part of the Sago Palm, then you should bring him/her immediately to the nearest veterinarian. The doctor may induce vomiting especially if the ingestion has just taken place and symptoms are not present. There may also be other treatments like fluid therapy and blood transfusion in cases of bleeding and dehydration.

Plants can be a good addition to your home’s decor. But when choosing plants to place in your home, you shouldn’t just consider how it would look in your home; you should also consider how safe it would be with your kids and pets around. The safety of everyone in the household should always be the prime consideration.

Sources:
http://www.treehugger.com/health/5-health-benefits-houseplants.html
http://www.bhg.com/gardening/houseplants/projects/poisonous-houseplants/#page=0
http://www.poison.org/articles/2015-mar/daffodils
http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/easter-lily/
http://www.rightdiagnosis.com/e/english_ivy_poisoning/intro.htm
https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002884.htm
http://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/poisoning-toxicity/c_dg_sago_palm_toxicity%20?page=2