Lily Toxicity

A Kitty Killer: Lily Toxicity

Dana Livingston, DVM

Easter Lily Case:

An extremely handsome 9 month old neutered male Flame Point Siamese kitten named “Bubba” presented to our hospital with a four day history of vomiting, decreased appetite and hiding. The owner mentioned she had recently received a gift – a bouquet of flowers which contained lilies. She did not see Bubba bothering with them; however, “Bubba” given his clinical signs, lily toxicity was suspected.

Lily Toxicity in Cats:

Lilies are extremely toxic to cats and most cases are reported during the holidays and other occasions when lilies are used as floral decor, such as in Easter plants or bereavement arrangements. Lilies can also be a risk for cats that go outdoors as they are often used in landscaping.

While the specific toxin in the lily plant is unknown, all parts of the lily are considered toxic, including the leaves, petals, pollen and even water that the plants have been placed in. Exposure or ingestion of even a small amount is reason to seek veterinary care immediately. The best chance for a good prognosis is when treatment is started within 18 hours of Stargazer Lily exposure. Clinical signs that you may notice include hiding, decreased appetite, vomiting, dehydration, lethargy, changes in drinking and urination or even neurological signs. If left untreated, cats will develop acute renal failure and inevitably die.

Wood Lily If your cat is suspected or known to have ingested lilies, we will first perform a complete physical exam. If the ingestion was recent, we may induce vomiting to try and reduce the amount of toxin absorbed into the body. We will also run full lab work, including blood and urine tests.

If the lab findings are supportive of lily toxicity, we will recommend immediate hospitalization with intravenous fluid therapy to help support the kidneys, maintain the balance of electrolytes and try to help lower the buildup of waste products in the blood

stream. We will manage any nausea and vomiting with anti- emetic drugs and encourage eating via appetite stimulants, syringe feeding or even by placing a feeding tube. Other treatments will be instituted depending on the individual’s current condition and their response to therapy.

Outcome:

At Bubba’s initial exam, he was found to have a low body Daylily https://extension.umass.edu/floriculture/ temperature and his kidneys felt abnormal. Radiographs (x-rays) plant-identification/daylily were performed to rule out a gastrointestinal cause for his vomiting and they were unremarkable.

His lab work revealed severely elevated kidney values and electrolyte abnormalities consistent with acute renal failure. Bubba was admitted to the hospital for fluid therapy, supportive care and supplemental heat support to keep his body temperature in a normal range.

Asian Lily Unfortunately, despite aggressive care, Bubba continued to do poorly and his owner made the heartbreaking decision to euthanize him and alleviate his suffering.

Key Points:

• Lilies are EXTREMELY toxic to cats – even a small exposure can result in illness • Clinical signs can occur within 6-12 hours after exposure. Most common signs include vomiting, anorexia, lethargy, change in urination (increased or decreased amount) or Red Lily neurological signs (abnormal gait, disorientation, seizures, etc.) • If aggressive treatment is started within 18 hours of exposure, the prognosis is fair to good. If there is a delay in treatment, renal failure will develop and may result in permanent renal disease if not death.

Examples of Toxic Lily Species:

• Easter lily (Lilium longiflorum) • Asiatic hybrid lily (Lilium spp.) • Tiger lily (L. tigrinum) • Red lily, Western lily, Wood lily (L. • Rubrum lily (L. speciosum) umbellantum) • Stargazer lily (L. auratum) • Daylily (Hemerocallis spp.) • Japanese show lily (L. lancifolimu)

All flower pictures from ASPCA Poison Plant database unless otherwise noted: http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants