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Lilies (Lilium) and daylilies (Hemerocallis)
Easter lily, tiger lily, Asiatic lily, daylily
A professional reference for veterinary specialists. It does not replace clinical judgement.
Species and toxic dose
| Species | Risk | Toxic dose |
|---|---|---|
| Dog | Mainly mild signs | Only mild digestive signs after large amounts; no kidney injury. Scientific article A study or review published in a scientific journal. Its findings apply to the animals and conditions it studied. |
| Cat | Especially sensitive | Less than one leaf can cause severe poisoning; 1-2 leaves or a single flower are enough. All parts are toxic, including pollen and vase water. Scientific article A study or review published in a scientific journal. Its findings apply to the animals and conditions it studied. |
Toxic principle
Not identified; steroidal glycoalkaloids and saponins have been proposed.
Onset
Vomiting, loss of appetite and depression within about 2 hours; glucose and casts in the urine within 18 hours; urea, creatinine, potassium and phosphorus rise at 24-72 hours, creatinine out of proportion to urea; kidney failure at 24-72 hours.
Clinical signs
Vomiting, anorexia, depression, then polyuria followed by oliguria or anuria; pancreatitis is possible.
Organs affected
Kidneys (necrosis of the tubular epithelium with an intact basement membrane).
Treatment principle (for veterinarians)
Emesis, then activated charcoal with a cathartic. Lactated Ringer's at about twice maintenance for at least 48 hours; started more than 18 hours after exposure, kidney failure and death become likely. Dialysis for anuria. 87% of promptly treated cats had no or only transient kidney signs; anuric cats usually die within 3-7 days.
A summary of the principles in the sources, not a protocol: doses and the plan are the treating veterinarian's decision.
Notes
Peace lily and calla lily contain only insoluble oxalates (mouth irritation), and lily of the valley is a cardiac glycoside plant: they are not true lilies.
Sources
- Scientific article. Volmer PA. Easter lily toxicosis in cats. Veterinary Medicine, Apr 1999 (ASPCA toxicology brief) 1999
- Reference book. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Veterinary Medicine. Lovely lilies and curious cats: a dangerous combination. fda.gov 2021
- Reference book. ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. Toxic and non-toxic plants: Easter lily. aspca.org
- Scientific article. Bertero A, Fossati P, Caloni F. Indoor companion animal poisoning by plants in Europe. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 7:487 2020
- Scientific article. Siroka Z. Toxicity of house plants to pet animals. Toxins 15(5):346 2023
- Scientific article. Nagy AL, et al. Emerging plant intoxications in domestic animals: a European perspective. Toxins 15(7):442 2023
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