www.roanoke.com

Paws & Claws

Jill Bowen has practiced veterinary medicine in England and Texas. She lives in Blacksburg now, and answers local pet owners' questions every week in The Roanoke Times and roanoke.com.

Recent columns

• Bacteria can cause ear infections in cats
• Chiari is a malformation of the back for some spaniels
• Your plant smells like a great spot to ...
• Sting salve: meat tenderizer

Q I know you have written before about plants to avoid in a home with pets, but what about plants outside in the yard? I have an inquisitive puppy that nibbles at the plants in my yard; should I worry?

A Many ornamental plants grown in gardens are poisonous not only to pets, but also to children. A little thought is all it takes to place potentially hazardous plants out of reach of both the curious pet, usually puppies, and inquisitive small children. For example holly, yew and azaleas are all poisonous and the bright red berries produced by the first two are especially attractive to children and pets. All parts of the yew tree and azaleas are poisonous, and yew can be rapidly fatal, especially to livestock.

Many of the spring flowering bulbs are toxic, in particular daffodils, hyacinth, autumn crocus, snowdrops and star of Bethlehem. Many gardeners plant these particular bulbs, as deer will avoid eating them, as will rodents. Cherry trees, both the wild and cultivated varieties, contain a cyanide compound, which is released if any part of the tree is chewed. Oleander, a common bush in the southern United States, is extremely poisonous. The seedpods of wisteria and laburnum that closely resemble pea pods are extremely poisonous; just a few seeds when eaten can be fatal.

Other common plants found in ornamental gardens that can cause problems are mountain laurel, boxwood and privet hedges. The Daphne plant, with its heady fragrance, is beloved by gardeners. However, all parts of the plant are poisonous and corrosive, causing terrible mouth blisters if eaten.

Because we all eat potatoes, tomatoes and even rhubarb, many people do not realize how very toxic the green foliage parts of these plants are. In the case of rhubarb, eating a few leaves can be fatal.

Many gardens contain poison ivy; this plant has a sap that is extremely irritant to human skin. Pets do not get a rash, but can carry the sap on their fur. This oil can remain active for days on the fur and is easily transferred on to the furniture, rugs and clothes, and then onto the skin.

Source: National Capital Poison Center. Go to www.poison.org or call (202) 362 3867.

Q I was told that rabbits make nice, friendly pets, as they are docile and lovable. I have now got a rabbit from hell that attacks us and is anything but a good pet. Is there anything we can do?

A Step one, have the rabbit castrated. Adult male rabbits are more aggressive than neutered rabbits. Rabbits are most active at dawn and dusk and like to sleep during the day. They are notoriously grouchy if woken up and will often bite if disturbed. Rabbits communicate by grunting as a sign of displeasure, this becomes a thumping of the back feet to signal anger or danger.

If a rabbit's space is invaded, first the rabbit will grunt, followed by a low growling sound. In some cases the rabbit will try to push the intruder away with its paws. If all these warning signs are ignored, rabbits will bite. If a person is in an area the rabbit regards as its territory, after the initial bite the rabbit will try to chase that person away by biting at the feet and ankles.

Rabbits are particularly possessive of their sleeping areas, so always remove him before attempting to clean the cage and sleeping area, otherwise you will get bitten.

Rabbits like to be petted behind the ears or on the cheeks, as this usually makes them grind or tap their molars together (this is a sign of pleasure not aggression). The more you pet your rabbit, the more responsive he will become. Let him have some exercise before initiating petting, as he will then be tired and therefore less likely to show aggressive behavior.