Spring is just around the corner and plants are budding out and blooming. We get the urge to get dirty and go to Lowe’s or Home Depot to buy beautiful plants for our yard. Do you know that some of the most common outdoor plants maybe toxic to your pet?
One plant that many home and pet owners have in their yards and are unaware of the highly toxic effects it may have is the Sago Palm. It is the nice ornamental bushy palm at the corner of the house or near your pool. Many people are unaware of the highly toxic dangers it holds.
The whole plant of the Sago Palm has a toxin called Cycasin and dogs really enjoy chewing on the fronds and the berries . The berries are the most toxic and may only take a couple to cause toxicity. Toxic affects causes liver damage, gastrointestinal discomfort, jaundice ( yellowing of skin), blood not able to clot, vomiting, melena (blood in the stool), increased thirst, hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, bruising, liver failure, and even death. If you suspect your pet possibly ingested this plant take them to the Veterinarian or Emergency clinic immediately.
One plant that many home and pet owners have in their yards and are unaware of the highly toxic effects it may have is the Sago Palm. It is the nice ornamental bushy palm at the corner of the house or near your pool. Many people are unaware of the highly toxic dangers it holds.
The whole plant of the Sago Palm has a toxin called Cycasin and dogs really enjoy chewing on the fronds and the berries . The berries are the most toxic and may only take a couple to cause toxicity. Toxic affects causes liver damage, gastrointestinal discomfort, jaundice ( yellowing of skin), blood not able to clot, vomiting, melena (blood in the stool), increased thirst, hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, bruising, liver failure, and even death. If you suspect your pet possibly ingested this plant take them to the Veterinarian or Emergency clinic immediately.
At the veterinary hospital, treatment may be an antiemetic to stop vomiting and the use of activated charcoal to inhibit further absorption of the Cycasin compound. The pet is normally placed on supportive intravenous fluids for about 48 hours to “flush” the liver, so liver damage will not occur or be very minimal. Bloodwork is also taken to monitor the liver values, clotting factors, and the number of red blood cells. Aggressive hospital treatment is the only option to decrease the risk of chronic liver damage.
When symptoms are maintained and the pet can eat and drink on its own without vomiting. The pet is sent home on SAM-E, milk thistle and sometimes antibiotics to help the liver recover from its insult. Bloodwork is rechecked in 3-4 weeks to monitor liver values.
When symptoms are maintained and the pet can eat and drink on its own without vomiting. The pet is sent home on SAM-E, milk thistle and sometimes antibiotics to help the liver recover from its insult. Bloodwork is rechecked in 3-4 weeks to monitor liver values.
Here are a couple more examples of common plants that are found in many landscaped yards that are not very pet friendly.
Oleander: has a cardiac glycoside very similar to digoxin throughout the entire plant. When ingested it can cause nausea, stomach cramping, cardiac arrhythmias, coma and even death.
Oleander: has a cardiac glycoside very similar to digoxin throughout the entire plant. When ingested it can cause nausea, stomach cramping, cardiac arrhythmias, coma and even death.
Azalea: the most common scrub of the south. The azalea comes in a variety of different sizes and colors. It is of the family Rhododendron and has a toxin called Grayantoxin. Symptoms of ingestion are vomiting, diarrhea, hypersalivation, weakness, coma, hypotension, CNS depression, cardiovascular collapse and death. Do not feed clippings to your goats or sheep.
Oriental and Daylilies: the toxin is unknown but when ingested, even the pollen, causes severe kidney damage
Always watch your pets when they are out the yard and especially if they like to chew on everything. If your pet ingests a plant and you are not sure if it is harmful take a picture of the plant and show it to your Veterinarian to identify or go to the ASPCA website. A proactive approach to an intoxication of any kind leads to greater chance of a positive outcome.
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants
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