Montana Pet Owners: Beware of these Popular Fall Plants

Ah, fall in Montana. Snow is imminent in the higher elevations (Beartooth Pass is closing at noon on October 3 for expected winter weather), the leaves are beautiful, and everyone’s decorating their porches with pumpkins, straw bales, and those cute Halloween inflatables.

There's a lot to love about this time of year, but according to gardening experts at Grow Eat and Repeat, if you have cats, dogs (or both), several popular fall plants can be quite dangerous to pets.

Read More: 5 Plants You Can Find In Any Montana Home

Pumpkins 

Wait a minute... "I thought dogs could eat pumpkin?" you say. That is true. Fresh pumpkin or unsweetened canned pumpkin is fine for dogs. In fact, some sources recommend it if your dog has an upset stomach.

HOWEVER!  Carved up porch pumpkins can get moldy quickly. And moldy pumpkins can contain tremorgenic mycotoxins. These myotoxins can cause your pet to twitch, seize, or experience more severe symptoms.

Acorns

Acorns are great for squirrels, but bad for dogs. Acorns (and oak leaves) are packed with tannins, which can cause everything from an upset stomach to organ failure. Experts also say acorns can become choking hazards for dogs.

Lilies

Fall-blooming lilies might look gorgeous in a vase, but for cats, they’re basically death in floral form. Even a little pollen can shut down the kidneys fast. Dogs don’t fare much better, with lilies causing vomiting and irritation. Bottom line: keep your fall lilies out of reach of pets.

Buckeyes

Ohio Buckeye trees are not native to Montana, but they do grow here, are non-invasive, and you might find them in city parks and neighborhood yards.

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The nuts, seeds, and sprouts of buckeye trees contain a compound called glycosides, and if cats and dogs ingest them, it can cause symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, muscle tremors, and even seizures or paralysis in severe cases. 

Chrysanthemums

Mums are a fall favorite, but their compounds can trigger vomiting, diarrhea, and coordination issues in pets, especially cats.

Davin Eberhardt, founder of Grow Eat and Repeat, says the safest bet is to avoid these plants altogether and opt for pet-friendly alternatives like asters or zinnias.