Home 
Health Topics At Home Poisonous Plants and Pets
Health Topics At Home Poisonous Plants and Pets | Poisonous Plants and Pets |
|
|
|
|
Poisonous Plants and Pets Don't Mix Pet Column for the week of January 31, 1994 Office of Public Engagement 2001 S. Lincoln Ave. Urbana, Illinois 61802 Phone: 217/333-2907 By Linda March Information Specialist University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine House plants provide us with beauty and enjoyment, but some can also cause major problems for your pets. According to Dr. William Buck, director of the National Animal Poison Control Center (NAPCC) at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine in Urbana, "a lot of ornamental plants have irritating sap that will cause an animal to salivate or maybe vomit and have diarrhea." He says that plants like the hibiscus and those in the Easter lily family, which are not toxic to people, may be very harmful to pets. Two or three days after cats have eaten a few leaves of a Tiger lily or Easter lily, they will go into renal failure. After ingesting hibiscus, a dog will vomit persistently, may vomit blood and have bloody diarrhea. "The loss of body fluid may be severe enough to be lethal in some cases," Dr. Buck cautions. Holly berries are another plant that is generally toxic to pets. Just a few berries ingested by a pet will cause it to vomit, have diarrhea, and become generally depressed. Mistletoe also causes digestive system upset as well as irregular heartbeats and possibly cardiac shock. Azalea plants are very toxic to sheep and goats, but are not common problems in cats or dogs. Plants in the nightshade family, such as European bittersweet and black nightshade, are more erratic in their toxicity. In some individual animals it may cause digestive problems, confusion, weakness, sleepiness, depression, and decreased heart rate, but plants of the nightshade family don't affect all animals alike. Common houseplants, like philodendron and dieffenbachia (dumb cane) contain oxalate crystals that cause the animal's mucous membranes to swell, making the animal unable to eat. "Although catnip isn't generally toxic to pets, owners should guard against giving too much of the fresh plant to cats. This plant causes hyper-stimulation to the central nervous system and the cat can injure itself," notes Dr. Buck. However, the dried form usually won't cause problems for your pet. Cats may chew on plants as a form of entertainment if they are bored. One safe release for their boredom is to plant lawn grass in a pot for them. The grass isn't harmful, and cats may also enjoy digging in the dirt. Dr. Buck recommends covering the soil of other houseplants with aluminum foil to keep the animal from digging in it and decrease the likelihood of the pet eating the plant. If your pet does eat something that is poisonous, you should call your veterinarian. You may also want to call the NAPCC at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. This center is a 24-hour, animal-based poison service. "Many times an animal's system will react differently to substances than a human's will to that same substance. That is why it is important for the owner and the veterinarian to contact the NAPCC in case of an animal poisoning," explains Dr. Buck. The NAPCC is accumulating a large database that will aid owners and their veterinarians in treating animal poisonings. If you have any questions on poisonous plants contact your veterinarian or the animal poison control center at the University of Illinois. The NAPCC can be reached at 1-800-548-2423 (your credit card will be charged a $30 fee) or at 1-900-680-0000 (your phone will be charged $20 for the first five minutes, then $2.95 per minute after that). Office of Public Engagement / 3505 VMBSB 2001 S Lincoln Ave / Urbana, IL 61802 / Phone: 217/333-2907 Did you enjoy this article? Please bookmark it onto:               |
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
Donate to Lake Shore
Training Video
 |
Syndicate
