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Poisonous plants are all around us, but fortunately, our domestic animals rarely have a taste for them. Of course, there are always exceptions (my puppy and mushrooms for instance...) and plants found during the winter holidays provide several examples. Any flowering plant from a bulb (crocus, tulip, amaryllis) contains irritant resins which cause vomiting and diarrhea, and many leave blisters in the mouth. The greatest concentration of poison is found in the bulb itself, but the plants contain a lesser amount. The ingestion of just one bulb is usually enough to cause obvious problems in a medium-sized dog. The berries of mistletoe are toxic, causing mild gastrointestinal (g-i) signs: vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain. The most important problem with mistletoe is an effect on the body's smooth muscle in the heart, gut, and arteries causing increased respiratory rate and increased blood pressure. Poinsettia petals and leaves cause an irritated oral cavity, conjunctivitis (red-rimmed eyes), and g-i signs. The potentially worst plant problem at Christmas is animals drinking from the Christmas tree water, especially since many people add sugar for the tree. Pine-type trees release phenols into the water. These are the chemicals in Pine-Sol cleaner and they are quite toxic. A mild case results in the usual g-i signs, but continued exposure leads to inflammation and necrosis (death) of the liver, effects on the brain, and seizures. Cats (they say) and ferrets (personal experience) are also drawn to the taste of this water and can suffer the consequences. In addition to these plants, keep in mind that other potential hazards are in large supply during the holidays when visitors may be playing with our dogs. Remind the kids that chocolate is not for dogs! The darker the type of chocolate the more problems it can cause. Its toxic chemical is related to caffeine and causes nervous system stimulation which can include tremors, heart arrhythmias, and seizures. Two ounces of baking chocolate will kill an eighty-pound dog. Visitors tossing cigar and cigarette butts around can be a problem if your dog has such a taste. The nicotine can cause salivation, weakness, and staggering. Naturally, my pup scavenges my Dad's cigar butts from the bushes when we visit. (I hope I'm not the only one of us with a strange puppy.) What to do if you catch your guilty puppy in the act of eating any of these
things? First step is to induce vomiting. Don't forget to be outside for
this! A couple teaspoons of hydrogen peroxide work well in most instances,
if no luck give a couple more, but do not overdo it. Hydrogen peroxide
will cause it's own problems if overdosed. If you are worried, call your
vet clinic for advice. Please do not be tempted to share holiday feasts
with your dog. Dogs eat dog food for good reasons. Every year veterinarians
see hundreds of cases of post-holiday pancreatitis; a potentially fatal
disease caused by the dog consuming food his system is not used to. This
is one instance when it's better not to give! Enjoy the holidays! |
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