Orchids are beautiful plants that are extremely popular to plant lovers all over the world.These plants can also be considered collector plants or house plants as people often grow them in their homes. These beautiful plants add a delicate beauty to any house.Pet owners always live in constant fear of their dogs eating something that could be potentially harmful or fatal for their health. The same also applies to orchids. The majority of orchids are dog friendly and thus are not toxic to dogs except for a few orchid species that have mild to moderate effects on dogs. On the other hand, many common flowers are non toxic and thus can be kept in your houses and garden without fearing the health of your family dog. These flowers include roses, sunflowers, petunias, pansies, and other similar flowers.If you find our content interesting then check out are petunias poisonous to dogs? And are peace lilies toxic to dogs? Facts pages, here on Kidadl.Species Of Orchids That Are Toxic To DogsIf you are looking for the straight answer as to whether orchids are poisonous to dogs then the answer would be no, orchids are not poisonous to dogs. There may be a couple of symptoms that can be observed from these houseplants if ingested, but in general orchid blooms cause very little harm to dogs and cats.A wide range of orchids found in the world also receives spaces in our homes. Cats and dogs are the most common pets that can be found in households all over the globe, and with that is the rise in the risk of orchid poisoning if your pet consumes these orchid species. It is estimated that there are about 30,000 different species of orchids around the globe with around 120,000 different types of hybrids. These plants are non toxic like the Phalaenopsis orchid which belongs to the Orchidaceae family which is harmless and are pet friendly and is probably the most common orchid found in homes. In general, the majority of orchids are not poisonous, however, some orchids can prove to be mildly toxic or poisonous to cats and dogs. The moth orchid and the Phalaenopsis orchid are non toxic to dogs while the lady slipper orchid can exhibit mild to moderate symptoms if ingested in both cats and dogs. Apart from these orchids, there are a couple of other household plants which can be harmful to small animals like tulips, azaleas, and peace lilies.What happens if a dog eats an orchid?Generally, the consumption of anything that is not edible or pet food can lead to several distressing symptoms in both dogs and cats. So these symptoms should be carefully observed and immediate treatment should be followed as prescribed by a veterinarian.It is very common for small animals like dogs and cats to mistakenly eat orchid flowers. If the orchid flower is completely ingested then the common signs an owner should watch out for or look out for are gastrointestinal disorders, like diarrhea, irritation of the mouth, stomach upset, as well as vomiting. In any of these cases, you should always consult a veterinarian and follow the necessary advice. As a source of emergency, you can feed your pet lactose free milk or other products. These can help in cooling down the irritation of the mouth and the stomach which get burnt when your friendly furry pet comes in contact with these harmful colorful plants in indoor areas. Though nothing major can happen if the orchid flowers or leaves are consumed or ingested by dogs, owners should always keep a watch on their pet’s health. Even if by mistake pet friendly non toxic orchid types like a moth orchid, or a Phalaenopsis orchid is consumed there is no major concern to be worried about as the toxicity content in these plants is nil and thus eating them would not cause any serious harm to pets.The Breeds Of Dogs That Are Susceptible To Orchid PoisoningThere is a wide range of breeds of dogs that can be found all over the globe today, and it is assumed that different breeds of dogs have different reactions if they are found to be eating orchid plants or flowers. However, that is not the case, and since orchid plants are not toxic to dogs and cats in general, the type of breed is irrelevant.Though there are tens of thousands of different available breeds of dogs on earth, all of these breeds fall under the same species, that is, Canis lupus familiaris of the Canidae family. Thus, the effect of these houseplants on any breed would be similar to other breeds as they fall under the same genus. Humans should pay close attention to their pet animals even though orchids don’t have any poison content in them, ingesting fertilizer from house plants can cause distress to our friendly pets. The poison content of fertilizer is high and can cause serious stomach upsets, vomiting, and irritation. Under such conditions, it would be wise to consult a veterinarian and proceed with their advice with caution.Things You Should Do If Your Dog Ate OrchidsIt is very common that if you have a pet in your house, chances are that they might eat plants or other things they shouldn’t, especially if they are within reach. Under that condition, some immediate and emergency steps should be undertaken as soon as possible to keep the animal safe from any potential poison-containing orchid species or other plants.Dogs are primarily carnivores but they can also eat plant matter thereby making them makeshift omnivores. However, the anatomy of a dog is devoid of organs that take part in plant matter digestion. Pets like cats and dogs are often found to nibble on plants in a garden or flowers of a plant to fulfill their protein content. In doing so, they are prone to eat dangerous plants like peace lilies or tulips which are toxic to dogs. These cause serious vomiting, stomach upset, and skin rashes. To keep your animal safe, immediately feed your pet with lactose free milk to cool the irritation and consult with a veterinarian. In a fit to induce vomiting, the remaining plant matter is effectively removed. Whatever plant matter remains is removed by activated charcoal, which the dog is given to absorb toxins. Oral hydration and other stomach scans are conducted to make sure that pets like dogs or cats are safe before they are discharged.Ways To Keep Your Dog Away From OrchidsThe best way to keep your dogs away from the reach of orchids, especially toxic varieties, like the lady slipper orchid flower, is not to let your dog come in contact with these plants or flowers. Complete removal of plants and orchid flowers can prove to be the most effective way for a pet to stay away from the danger of plant poisoning.Use of particular aromas or smells: pets like dogs have their own distinctive likes and dislike and that too can be said about both their tastes and smells. Citrus and spice smells are often disliked by dogs. Therefore, spraying the orchid plants with a mixture of limes, lemons, pepper or cinnamon can be a good way to limit the contact your pet has with a plant. Thus, potentially reducing the risk of eating orchid leaves.Hanging Plants: this can be an ideal way to keep the orchid flowers, or toxic plants and leaves out of the reach of dogs. Place your orchids in hanging pots or place them on an elevated place like a table where they can’t reach.Proper fencing of gardens and yards: dogs are active animals and love to move and jump freely whenever they find any open place. So proper fencing of your garden or yard is essential to refrain your dogs from reaching the plants. You need to find the height to which your dog can jump and then build your fence accordingly.Proper training of dogs: training a dog is perhaps the most important thing, which can be done to correct their behavior. If the training is done from a very early age, the dog is bound to pick up the training fast. Positive reinforcement training is also vital where the dog is rewarded after it does its job correctly. If proper training has been provided to the dog, then whenever you see your pet to be near plants, you can call them away and ultimately reward your pet for following the instructions correctly.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for are orchids poisonous to dogs? Then why not take a look at our article are mums poisonous to dogs? Or German sheperdor facts p

Orchids are beautiful plants that are extremely popular to plant lovers all over the world.