Case of the Month

Lily toxicity in cats: A Silent Killer  

**In honor of Jasmine Johnston, Isabella Maust, Holly Morrison, Tabernash Lowry, Belly MacGregor,
and Sidra Ravira - cats that have died or been hospitalized due to lily toxicity.

With spring and Easter just around the corner, it is very important to consider the potential problems that can occur when cats ingest plants, especially lilies. Members of the Lilium (true lilies) and Hemerocallis (day lilies) genera can cause kidney damage and organ failure leading to death. Ingestion of even a small amount of the leaf, petal, or pollen should be considered potentially deadly in cats.  Not all lilies are toxic or deadly, so it is important to know what type and part of the lily was ingested.

The symptoms of lily toxicity include depression, lethargy, lack of appetite, and vomiting. A cat that has ingested lilies should be seen immediately for treatment because time is of the essence. If left untreated, symptoms will worsen as kidney damage progresses.  Death is immanent within 3-7 days in untreated cats.

Your vet can diagnose the presence of acute renal failure using blood tests, urine tests, an ultrasound examination and possibly a needle biopsy of the kidneys. Although there is no specific test that can identify lily intoxication as the cause with certainty, there are characteristic laboratory findings that make the diagnosis likely if supported by evidence of lily ingestion.  The treatment for lily intoxication is intensive and expensive, typically involving intravenous fluid therapy and hospitalization for several days. And even with the most diligent therapy, a successful outcome is not assured.

Treatments may include emetics, a medication given to make your cat vomit.  This can potentially remove any plant material from the stomach and stop absorption of the toxin. Activated charcoal may be given to minimize the absorption of any plant material. Hospitalization will be required for aggressive intravenous fluid treatment to diurese the kidneys.  Close monitoring of the kidneys enzymes is very important with lily intoxication treatment; decisions on treatments, medications, and prognosis can be determined based on the blood work results.

The damage to the kidneys can be permanent, but if the damage is not severe, the cat may be able to recover over time. This may require that the cat be monitored closely with routine blood work to assess kidney function, and may require continued treatment at home with subcutaneous fluid therapy (fluids administered under the skin using a needle). Kidney transplantation can be a treatment option if the kidneys do not appear to be functioning. Transplantation can only be done once there are no more poisons in the system.  This way the transplanted kidney does not also develop dysfunction.  Unfortunately, kidney transplantation is so expensive it is not a practical treatment option for most pet owners.

Because lily toxicity affects a cat so quickly, many owners do not know their cat has even been exposed until it is too late.  Therefore, many cats do not make it in for treatment until most of their kidneys have been damaged and the effects cannot be overcome.  We, at Paws of the Rockies Animal Hospital would like this opportunity to remember many of our furry friends that have passed over the Rainbow Bridge due to suspected lily toxicity, as well as one miraculous cat that survived.

The ASPCA.org has a list of toxic and non-toxic plants on their website, including many species of lilies.  All florists can provide a list of plants that are poisonous to pets. Save yourself or your loved one the heartache of a lost pet. If you are purchasing flowers for yourself or someone else that has pets, ask the florist to remove any flowers that are toxic to pets.

Please check www.aspca.org  for a complete list of toxic and non-toxic plants, scientific names, parts of the plants that affect pets, and exact effects the plants have.

All the following flowers are on the ASPCA’s list of fatal lilies to cats.