The summer outdoors can be a fun place—until your dog traipses through a field of painful plants.

As you find yourself spending more time outdoors with your pets, it's important to educate yourself on potentially harmful plants that could pose a serious threat to their health. From azaleas to oleander, we cover some common culprits that you need to avoid.

Azaleas

When it comes to azaleas and pets, there is so such thing as a safe encounter. Unlike some of the less potent plants out there, azaleas contain cardiac glycosides and grayanotoxins which can cause symptoms ranging from excessive drooling to leg paralysis, coma, and death. Because azaleas are so dangerous to dogs and cats, it's best to avoid planting them in a garden where animals may roam.

Daffodils

These bright and sunny blooms are a cheerful reminder that spring is finally on its way. They can also be extremely harmful to animals. They may look innocuous, daffodils contain poisonous alkaloids which can affect the digestive system, cause heavy salivation, and lead to convulsions and cardiac issues. While the entire plant should be avoided, the lion's share of the toxins are centered in the bulb.

Lilies

Next time you're browsing the selection at your favourite flower shop, it may be wise to skip the lilies if you've got furry or feathered companions at home. As beautiful as they may be, lilies can cause a host of health problems, especially in cats. Symptoms of poisoning may include tongue and lip irritation, excessive salivation, problems swallowing and can also lead to vomiting, lethargy, kidney failure, and death.

Read more at The Honest Kitchen blog