Illinois Pet Owners: These 7 Holiday Plants Are Toxic To Pets

I know, you're looking at the photo of the dog with the cookies and you're thinking "I thought this piece was about plants that are toxic to pets, not foods that are."

You're right about that. But, did you notice what plant is behind that dog with the cookies?

Your Christmas tree is one of the seven plants that are toxic to your family pets, whether they're dogs or cats. Sure, giving your pet Christmas cookies is not the best idea, but letting them get up close and personal with Christmas trees and some of these other plants can be far worse for them.

So, let's try to avoid this:

And this:

Sure, These Plants Definitely Elevate Your Christmas Decorating Plans, But They Can Be Very Dangerous And Even Lethal To Your Family Pets

There are far more than seven plants that are toxic to pets, but we're talking about the holiday season here, so we're just covering the most popular plants you'll likely have around the house between late November and January.

According to a piece at MentalFloss.com, pretty much all the really popular holiday plants come with a significant downside.

Here's a rundown of the plants, and what the danger is with each of them:

Holly

According to the MentalFloss.com article, both the holly plant and its berries contain toxins that can be harmful to pets (and children). Common symptoms of holly poisoning include vomiting and diarrhea, excessive drooling, and abdominal pain. Consuming large quantities of holly leaves or berries could also lead to seizures, and in some cases, even death.

Mistletoe

Mistletoe is not necessarily fatal to pets, but if they consume some it's not going to be pleasant for them or you. The mistletoe plant contains major toxins that can cause your pet's heart to slow and their blood pressure to drop. There's also the gastrointestinal upset that comes with it.

Poinsettias

Again, not a death-sentence, but according to MentalFloss, you'll want to keep pets away from these plants because of the "allergic reaction to the plant’s sap, which could manifest as vomiting, drooling, and skin irritation. But in most cases, your cat or dog would have to ingest a large amount of poinsettias to have a more severe reaction."

Lilies

Lilies are far worse for cats than they are for dogs. Even if your cat consumes just a little bit of the lily plant, you could be looking at convulsions, heart arrhythmias, or even organ failure. Not all lilies are poisonous to dogs, but all lilies are definitely poisonous to cats.

Christmas Trees

Your Christmas tree is another one of the plants we've listed here that probably won't do anything fatal to your pet, but the oils from the tree's needles can irritate your pet's mouth and digestive tract, cause diarrhea, or cause an intestinal obstruction or puncture.

The last two on the list are ivy and laurel. If your pet consumes ivy, symptoms may include abdominal pain, vomiting, increased drooling, and more.

Laurel, while very pretty, is nasty to pets. According to MentalFloss, "some species of laurel contain highly dangerous neurotoxins that can wreak havoc on your pets’ bodies. Grayanotoxin, which is commonly found in laurel, can impact skeletal and nerve function when ingested. It can also hinder the heart’s ability to function—a potentially lethal consequence."