Poisonous Plants and dogs

Eating plants and vegetation is not a common cause of poisoning in dogs, but it does occur. Puppies going through the chewing stage are more likely to ingest indoor and outdoor plants. In adult dogs, chewing on plants may be a sign of boredom or frustration associated with separation anxiety or a recent change in the household routine. The variety of potentially poisonous plants and shrubs allows for a wide range of symptoms. Signs include mouth irritation, drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, hallucinations, rapid labored breathing, staggering, muscle tremors, seizures, coma, and death. Some plants cause sud- den death without premonitory signs. Other plants contain chemicals that are extremely irritating to the skin. Milkweed, lily-of-the-valley, laurel, azalea, foxglove, and oleander all contain cardiac glycosides of the digitalis class. Even though these plants have a bitter taste, pets do sometimes eat enough to cause death. Ornamental plants of the nightshade family, including Chinese lantern, Christmas cherry, and ornamental pepper, contain solanines that are toxic to the gastrointestinal system and brain. They, too, are a rare cause of death. If you’re not sure about a plant, ask your veterinarian or the local plant nursery. The ASPCA also has a list of poisonous plants on its website (www.aspca.org). Your local Cooperative Extension is often a good source of information about poisonous plants. Note that with some plants, only certain parts are toxic. With others, the whole plant is poisonous.

Treatment: If you suspect your dog has ingested a poisonous plant, induce vomiting and call your veterinarian for further instructions.

Prevention: To prevent houseplant poisoning, determine which plants are toxic and either dispose of them or keep them in a place the dog is unable to reach. Outside, be careful of any sticks you throw for your dog that he may chew on. Fence off dangerous plants so your dog can’t reach them.

comments