Dogs are an absolute joy and make your life happier and more cheerful. This article is a must-read if you have a dog who likes to hop around your garden or run in your backyard.
Dogs are often known for chewing, biting, and licking things, whether footwear, gadgets or a mere plant. And sometimes, any of those things can be toxic for them.
Some plants are known to be toxic to pets, and if you have a garden or some open space where you have grown some plants, you need to know whether they are harmful to your dogs.
Plants like Liriope, which is very common and is planted in most house gardens, are known for their toxic properties and can have an adverse effect on cats and dogs.
In this article, you will learn about Liriope plants, their characteristics, whether Liriope is toxic to dogs, and what should be done if your dog has consumed a Liriope plant.
What is Liriope And What Are its Other Names?
Many people confuse this with an ornamental grass plant, but it is not an actual grass. Liriope is a perennial plant that emanates from East and South East Asia, mostly China and Japan.
It is a fast-growing and beautiful-looking plant that is very common in many home gardens as it requires minimal care for its growth and can withstand extreme heat owing to its drought-tolerant properties.
Liriope is a summer plant that enjoys full sunlight and can do well in partial shade. They are often used as ground covers and to add some vibrancy to the garden bed.
Although being a member of the Lily family, Liriope causing toxicity to dogs is a debated topic.
While some say, Liriope is toxic to dogs and cats, resulting in minor health conditions. Consumption of Liriope by dogs can result in stomach aches and nausea with vomiting.
While others say, there is no conclusive evidence that it harms dogs’ health and is nowhere to be found on the main position prevention’s website or pet poison helpline instigating the debate.
Other names of Liriope plants are lilyturf, border grass, big blue lilyturf, and monkey grass.
Types of Liriope Plants
Liriope plants have two different types, Liriope Muscari and Liriope Spicata. And they are mostly the same but do have some unique differences.
Let us know them individually.
Liriope Muscari
This is the rather famous one among the two. Liriope Muscari is also known as Lily Turf, Dwarf Lilyturf, or Monkey Grass.
It has a dark green leaf color adding to the visual, with flowers of deep purple, pink and white, which are small and spikey.
This is an evergreen plant that gardeners prefer to have in a garden. Their blooming time occurs at the beginning of spring and lasts till summer.
If consumed by dogs, it can be toxic; plant this variety carefully and keep an eye on your dog; if they eat this plant, take them to a veterinarian as soon as possible.
Liriope Spicata
Also known as the creeping liriope or the creeping lily turf, this plant is very aggressive and can take up space quickly. This characteristic separates it from Liriope Muscari.
Its rapid growth makes it a good ground cover plant helping prevent soil erosion, but it can not be used as an edging plant.
Its white or lavender flower with shiny green leaves blooms on sunny days and makes a good summer plant as it can withstand heat and is drought resistant and deer and rabbit invulnerable.
Are Liriope Berries Poisonous to Dogs?
There is always a debate about whether Liriope berries are poisonous to dogs or not. The U.S. Department of Agriculture tried to end the debate by answering this question.
According to them, Liriope is not poisonous, including the berries and all the parts of the plant. This goes for both varieties of Liriope.
However, people still suggest if the Liriope plant is consumed in high quantities, it may result in vomiting or diarrhea.
It is always a heated discussion, so it is better to keep your dogs away from them as much as possible, as you do not want them to get sick.
My Dog Ate is Liriope: What Should I Do?
The first thing to do if you think your dog has eaten a Liriope plant is to observe their behavior and check for any irregularities.
If you think they have stomach problems or nausea, contact a veterinarian and seek medical help.
If you are not able to reach them at the time, try to make your dog vomit what they have eaten, which may lessen the poison, if any.
You can also try to negate the effects of Liriope by giving milk to your dog, which will help their gut and provide some power to fight any adverse effects.
And if none of these seems to work, you should head straight to a veterinarian and let them know everything in detail to assist in treating.
How to Prevent Your Dog From Eating Liriope?
The first and easiest way to prevent your dog from eating any poisonous plant is to know them. Many people do not know about toxic plants and grow them in their gardens, making them very dangerous for pets.
Another way to keep the Liriope plant away from your dog’s reach is to not let your dog go near the Liriope plant, and do not plant the Liriope near where your dog likes to roam. Liriope can be aggressive and reach places you wouldn’t have thought, so extra care should be taken.
Keep them on a leash or fence the plant if it is within the possible reach of your pooch. Always have an eye on your dog when they are around the garden area.
FAQ’s
Liriope plants are also known as lilyturf, border grass, big blue lilyturf, and monkey grass.
Some common symptoms of Lilyturf poisoning are:
Vomiting, Diarrhea, Abdominal pain, Loss of appetite, Inflammation of the mouth and throat, Difficulty swallowing, Excessive salivation.
If you suspect your dog might have eaten monkey grass, observe for any symptoms and discomfort as listed above and seek medical help if the health conditions start worsening.
Conclusion
I’m confident that after reading this whole article, you won’t panic if your dog ever eats a Liriope plant. This article shares the plant’s toxicity risk and tells you everything there is to know about Liriope.
You will also learn about the other common names and different types of Liriope plants and what to do if your dog consumes it, and how to prevent your dog from consuming it.
Hope this article will help you and your canine partner stay safe and healthy. Till then, happy petting.
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Dr. Lillian is a D.V.M. passionate about promoting awareness of dogs. She shares her expertise through her blogs on canineweekly.com and provides animal care services, including internal medicine, dermatology, and emergency care. Dr. Lillian is committed to contributing to animal welfare.