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Are Sunpatiens Poisonous to Dogs?

Are Sunpatiens Poisonous to Dogs?

Flowers add a touch of beauty and elegance to any home. If you are looking for an easy way to pump up your interior décor, hang a few flower pots.

If your garden is sad and boring, a burst of color will bring it back to life.

Sunpatiens come in many bright colors including red, pink, purple, and white.

You will often find them planted in containers placed outdoors or in the garden.

Whether you place them in the shade or the sun, the flower will thrive. It is so low-maintenance, remarkably cute, and versatile.

However, as a responsible pet parent, you have to be careful about what goes into your garden and what doesn’t. Just because a plant is beautiful doesn’t mean it belongs in there.

There are plenty of stunning plants that bring harm to pets. A very basic example is tomatoes.

How many people wouldn’t want to add tens of tomato trees to their gardens? Sadly, the plant is not safe around dogs and you are better off without it if you love your pooch.

In this post, we explore the Sunpatiens—particularly whether it is safe for furry friends.

What are Sunpatiens?

Sunpatiens is a new impatiens hybrid that is rising in popularity. Impatiens lovers cannot get enough of it, mainly because the sun doesn’t affect it, unlike the impatiens which can only be grown in the shade.

Sunpatiens thrive well in sunny, humid, and hot weather no wonder it blooms from May through September.

It was developed by Sakata, a Japanese seed company, by mixing the normal impatiens with another variety called Impatiens hawker that does well in the sun. The result is a plant that blooms from spring to fall.

It is a great bedding flower that gives the garden long-lasting color.

Sunpatiens are available in three distinct varieties based on habits of growth: Compact Sunpatiens, Vigorous Sunpatiens, and Spreading Sunpatiens.

Is Sunpatiens Safe For Dogs?

Sunpatiens is a rather new Impatiens hybrid. As a result, the ASPCA as well as other reputable animal care organizations have not yet listed it as a toxic or non-toxic substance.

However, since it is a member of the Impatiens family, it is safe to assume that it is safe around dogs.

It is also harmless around cats. Both the Impatiens and Impatiens Hawkeri used to develop the Sunpatiens are not deemed harmful by the ASPCA.

Subsequently, there’s a very small likelihood that it has any toxic compound.

Toxic plants have certain chemicals that trigger a response from the canine system. These include things like alkaloids, oxalate crystals, glycosides, pyrethrins, and lactones.

Each one affects the body in different ways. Some attack the cardiac system while others cause irritations to the gut.  The very bad ones cause kidney damage and respiratory failure.

Sunpatiens, like Impatiens, do not contain any of these harmful substances.

You can rest easy knowing that your dog can swallow it without suffering symptoms of toxicity.

Of course, you might want to watch your dog around your garden.

Even if Sunpatiens are 100% harmless, they can move to the toxic side if the doggie swallows a lot of it.

Symptoms of Plant Toxicity in Dogs

If your dog ingests a toxic plant such as a tulip, azalea, or English Ivy, he will exhibit symptoms of toxicity.

These mainly depend on the plant ingested but these include vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, challenges when swallowing, drooling, lethargy, tremors, and heart problems.

If you notice your pup or puppy having any of these signs, call your vet as soon as possible.

Rapid treatment can mean the difference between life and death for your doggie. This is especially true if you have a puppy at home.

The vet will likely recommend that you induce vomiting and give the dog yogurt or milk to neutralize the toxins.

If the situation worsens, they will suggest that you bring the dog for thorough treatments.

Final Thoughts

If you are searching for a flower that does well in the sun and doesn’t harm your dog, the Sunpatiens fits the bill.

Sure, it is not available in limited colors as the Impatiens but the four available colors will satisfy you fully.

Since they bloom throughout the warm weather, they are perfect for beautifying the house and cleaning the air around the home.

Last Updated on May 18, 2022 by

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