Tulip Poisoning in Dogs

Bright, vibrant, and beautiful, tulips are a gorgeous reminder that spring has arrived. Unfortunately, these colorful flowers are also toxic to dogs, and while they're not as dangerous for your pet as some other popular plant varieties, they can still cause serious symptoms such as elevated heart rate and breathing difficulties in severe cases of poisoning.

Tulips contain toxic glycosides known as Tulipalin A and Tulipalin B. These toxins are found in all parts of the plant, but they're particularly concentrated in the bulb. So if your pet consumes any part of the tulip plant, especially the bulb, contact your veterinarian immediately for treatment advice.

The poisoning symptoms that result from ingesting tulips occur within just a few hours. Common signs to look for include:

• Vomiting
• Excessive drooling
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal pain
• Irritation of the mouth and esophagus

However, if your pet has ingested a large amount of the plant or bulbs, severe cases of poisoning could lead to the following symptoms:

• Irregular heartbeat
• Increased heart rate
• Coma
• Depression 
• Difficulty breathing
• Dizziness
• Lethargy
• Tremors
• Seizures
• Sudden death

Types

The bulb of the tulip contains the highest concentration of toxins, so it's the most dangerous part of the plant for your dog. However, eating the stem, leaves, and flowers can also produce tulip poisoning symptoms.

The tulip is by no means the only flower bulb that contains serious toxins. For example, hyacinths, which are members of the Liliaceae family just like tulips, also contain toxic bulbs that can produce similar symptoms when ingested. Other plant bulbs that can be detrimental to your pet include amaryllis and daffodil.

The toxicity of the tulip is a result of alkaloid compounds tulipalin A and B. These glycosides not only irritate a dog's mouth and esophagus, they're toxic to our canine friends and can affect protein synthesis.

And while the symptoms of tulip poisoning are typically mild, they can be severe if your pet ingests a large amount of bulbs.

If you witness your dog eating the tulip plant, identifying the plant correctly is often all that is required for a preliminary diagnosis . So if your pup eats a plant bulb and you are uncertain of the type, take a sample of any remaining bulb or plant material with you to the vet to ensure a speedier identification for treatment.

Blood and urine tests will be used to assess the severity of poisoning, while any plant material found in your dog's vomit will help confirm the diagnosis.

There's no antidote for tulip poisoning, so treatment is instead focused on decontamination, support, and managing any symptoms.

Initial treatment will vary depending on how long it has been since the bulb or other plant material was ingested, and what symptoms have emerged. If large amounts of the leaves or flowers have been ingested, or if your dog ate one of the bulbs, they may need to be hospitalized for decontamination and supportive treatments.

If the tulip was consumed recently (within 4 hours), the veterinarian will most likely induce vomiting to prevent the absorption of toxic compounds into the bloodstream. Activated charcoal is also used to soak up as much of the toxin as possible.

If it's been an extended period of time since your dog consumed the tulip, a gastric lavage under general anesthetic may be more appropriate to remove as much of the material from the patient’s stomach as possible. This would not commonly be needed in cases of tulip toxicity.

Other supportive treatment may include giving intravenous fluids for dehydration. As well fluids, this provides a mixture of electrolytes and sugars to adjust for any imbalances that develop. Oxygen will be administered to the dog if breathing is becoming difficult, while the heart, kidneys, and liver will be carefully monitored.

The prognosis is generally excellent for pets that receive the required treatment in a timely manner.

A calm, quiet setting to return home to will help ensure a speedy recovery for the patient. Although symptoms of the poisoning usually last only a few hours, dogs that are recovering from anesthesia, as would be required for gastric lavage, may have coordination difficulties when they first get home. They are often confused and disoriented, and isolation from other pets and children may be advisable until they're back to full health.

In some circumstances, your veterinarian may recommend regular monitoring of blood chemistry levels for your pet, particularly in relation to liver and kidney function. If you have any questions or concerns as your dog goes through recovery, call your veterinarian for advice.

Finally, it's also important to focus on how to prevent tulip poisoning. Ensuring that your garden only contains dog-safe plants is the simplest way to protect them from poisoning, or you can put up fencing to restrict your dog's access. Providing them with a safe space to dig will also protect your garden from damage and ensure that your pup doesn't uncover anything that could potentially be harmful to their health.

Tulip poisoning in dogs can be expensive to treat. If you suspect your dog is at risk of ingesting a toxic plant, start searching for pet insurance today. Wag!’s pet insurance comparison tool lets you compare plans from leading companies like PetPlan and Embrace. Find the “pawfect” plan for your pet in just a few clicks!