I just caught my dog with a giant pink camellia blossom in his mouth. I made him spit it out and called the vet to find out if they are toxic to dogs, like many other plants... or if they're edible, like many other plants. She couldn't find camellias on any toxic-to-dogs lists, but did not recommend that I allow him to eat the flowers. (Like I have any choice -- he can get to them so much faster than I can!)
I was wondering if anyone here know about camellias in relationship to dogs eating the blossoms, or am I the only person on the planet with THAT problem. LOL. Please post here if you know of some reason these flowers could hurt him, in the event he does manage to eat one before I can get to him to make him spit it out. Oh, and here's a little tip for anyone who discovers their dog has eaten something toxic: syrup of ipecac works on dogs, just like it does in humans, but you have to administer it within 15 minutes of ingestion. Another way to get dogs to vomit up bad stuff they ate is to give them a teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide. Makes 'em yak in seconds flat!
This same dog also eats Pindo (or Butia) Palm dates/berries (What are they? Dates or berries?), and both my dogs and my cat all love lemongrass in addition to catnip. (Which is also known as "dognip" at my house. I think they like it because the cat does. Or maybe they just like it I dunno.)
So if you don't know about the camellias, perhaps you have some funny stories to share about non-toxic, but unlikely things your pets have eaten in your garden, or have an affinity for.
Oh, and this picture? Hurshell the Camellia Eater is on the left, my cat Got Milk? is in the middle. Tipzy (who doesn't eat flowers) is the right hand dog and the white cat on the right is Tribble, who died earlier this year of heart failure unrelated to flower eating, as far as I know. They look so sweet and innocent, don't they? Now you know where my user name comes from!
