Although lilies are flowers commonly used in floral arrangements, and cats often have access to them, most cat owners aren’t aware of that lilies can cause kidney (renal) disease in cats.
ALL parts of the lily are poisonous. The toxic dose is unknown, but thought to be reached by ingestion of, or mouthing, very small amounts of material. Cats seem to be unique amongst domestic pets in their susceptibility to this intoxication, possibly due to differences in their metabolism. Interestingly, dogs that consume large amounts of the plant develop only mild gastrointestinal signs, while rats and rabbits show no sign of toxicity at all.
Signs of Lily Toxicity
The first signs of toxicity are vomiting, depression and loss of appetite. The onset is usually within 2 hours, and may subside by 12 hours. Although an affected cat is likely to remain depressed, the patient may appear to improve, briefly (with or without symptomatic treatment) as the gastrointestinal signs subside. It is likely, however, that acute renal failure will develop within 24 to 72 hours at which time the cat will become critically ill. At this time the patient may drink much more than usual, or become extremely dehydrated. Your vet might feel painful, enlarged kidneys on physical examination at this stage. If untreated, cats die in 3 to 7 days.
Treatment of Lily Toxicity
We can diagnose the presence of acute renal failure using blood tests including biochemistry and electrolytes, urine tests, an ultrasound examination and possibly a needle biopsy of the kidneys. Unfortunately, there is no specific test that can identify lily intoxication. The treatment for lily intoxication is intensive and expensive, involving intravenous fluid therapy and hospitalisation for several days.
The key to successful treatment of these cats is early recognition of possible ingestion, and aggressive management of the ensuing renal failure. Even with the most diligent therapy, a success outcome is not assured.
Tulah, is the fur baby of one of our nurses, Belle. A few weeks ago, Tulah had access to a beautiful bunch of flowers which contained lilies, and being a nosy parker, had a nibble on some of the leaves.
Tulah had a blood sample taken to check her renal sufficiency and electrolyte status, and was placed on intravenous fluids. Over the next 3 days, Tulah was monitored closely in hospital and had her kidney enzymes and electrolytes monitored repeatedly for any changes, to determine if any of the toxin had been metabolised.
After 72 hours, our vet team was confident that there was no delayed reaction/response to the lilies and Tulah was able to be discharged from hospital. She has since made a full recovery.
Please be extremely careful when bringing flowers into a house where cats reside – a very small amount of a lily can lead to a disastrous outcome.
References – Jody Braddock, Joanna White & Richard Malik
