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While plants add a touch of color and fragrance to our
daily lives they also inject an element of danger into the lives of our
pets. More than 700 plants have been identified as producing physiologically
active or toxic substances in sufficient amounts to cause harmful effects in
animals. Poisonous plants produce a variety of toxic substances and cause
reactions ranging from mild nausea to death. Certain animal species may have
a peculiar vulnerability to a potentially poisonous plant.
Below is a list of some of the common plants which may
produce a toxic reaction in animals. This list is intended only as a guide
to plants which are generally identified as having the capability for
producing a toxic reaction.
| PLANT |
TOXIC PARTS |
PLANT TYPE |
| Aconite |
roots, foliage, seeds
|
garden flower
|
| Apple |
seeds |
cultivated tree
|
| Arrowgrasses
|
leaves |
marsh plants
|
| Atropa belladonna
|
entire plant esp.
seeds, roots |
garden herb
|
| Autumn Crocus
|
entire plant
|
garden flower
|
| Azaleas |
entire plant
|
cultivated & wild
shrub |
| Baneberry |
berries, roots
|
wildflower
|
| Bird-of-Paradise
|
pods |
garden flower
|
| Black locust
|
entire plant esp.
bark, shoots |
tree |
| Bloodroot |
entire plant esp.
stem, roots |
wildflower, herb
|
| Box |
entire plant esp.
leaves |
ornamental shrub
|
| Buckeye |
sprouts, nuts, seeds
|
tree |
| Buttercup |
entire plant esp.
leaves |
wildflower, garden
herb |
| Caladium |
entire plant
|
house plant
|
| Carolina jessamine
|
flowers, leaves
|
ornamental plant
|
| Castor bean
|
entire plant esp.
beans |
house plant
|
| Chinaberry tree
|
berries |
tree |
| Chockcherries
|
leaves, cherries, pit
|
wild shrub
|
| Christmas berry
|
leaves |
shrub |
| Christmas Rose
|
rootstock, leaves
|
garden flower
|
| Common privet
|
leaves, berries
|
ornamental shrub
|
| Corn cockle
|
seeds |
wildflower, weed
|
| Cowbane |
entire plant esp.
roots |
wildflower, herb
|
| Cow cockle
|
seeds |
wildflower, weed
|
| Cowslip |
entire plant esp.
leaves, stem |
wildflower, herb
|
| Daffodil |
bulbs |
garden flower
|
| Daphne |
bark, berries, leaves
|
ornamental shrub
|
| Day lily |
entire plant is toxic
to cats |
garden & wildflower |
| Death Camas
|
leaves, stems, seeds,
flowers |
field herb
|
| Delphinium (Larkspur)
|
entire plant esp.
sprouts |
wildflower
|
| Dumbcane |
entire plant
|
house plant
|
| Dutchman's breeches
|
roots, foliage
|
wild & garden flower
|
| Easter lily
|
entire plant is toxic
to cats |
flowering house plant
|
| Elderberry
|
leaves, bark, roots,
buds |
tree |
| Elephant's ear
|
entire plant
|
house plant
|
| English Ivy
|
entire plant esp.
leaves, berries |
ornamental vine
|
| European Bittersweet
|
entire plant esp.
berries |
vine |
| False Flax
|
seeds |
wild herb |
| False hellebore
|
roots, leaves, seeds
|
ornamental flower
|
| Fan weed |
seeds |
wildflower, herb
|
| Field peppergrass
|
seeds |
wildflower, herb
|
| Flax |
seedpods |
wildflower, herb
|
| Foxglove |
leaves |
wild & garden flower
|
| Holly |
berries |
shrub |
| Horsechestnut
|
nuts, sprouts
|
tree |
| Horse nettle
|
entire plant esp.
berries |
wildflower, herb
|
| Hyacinth |
bulbs |
wild & house plant
|
| Iris |
leaves, roots
|
wild & garden flower
|
| Jack-in-the-pulpit
|
entire plant esp.
roots, leaves |
wildflower
|
| Jatropha |
seeds |
tree, shrub
|
| Jerusalem Cherry
|
unripe fruit, foliage
|
ornamental plant
|
| Jimsonweed
|
entire plant esp.
seeds |
field plant
|
| Laburum |
seeds, pods, flowers
|
ornamental plant
|
| Lantana |
foliage |
house plant
|
| Larkspur |
young plants
|
wildflower
|
| Laurels |
leaves |
shrub |
| Lily of the valley
|
leaves, flowers
|
garden & wildflower
|
| Lupines |
seeds, pods
|
shrub |
| Manchineel Tree
|
sap, fruit
|
tree |
| Matrimony vine
|
leaves, shoots
|
ornamental vine
|
| Mayapple |
unripe fruit, roots,
foliage |
wildflower
|
| Milk vetch
|
entire plant
|
wildflower
|
| Mistletoe |
berries |
house plant
|
| Monkshood |
entire plant esp.
roots, seeds |
wildflower
|
| Moonseed |
fruit, roots
|
vine |
| Morning glory
|
seeds, roots
|
wildflower
|
| Mountain mahogany
|
leaves |
shrub |
| Mustards |
seeds |
wildflower
|
| Narcissus |
bulbs |
garden flower
|
| Nicotiana |
leaves |
garden flower
|
| Nightshade
|
leaves, berries
|
wildflower, vine
|
| Oaks |
shoots, leaves
|
tree |
| Oleander |
leaves |
ornamental shrub
|
| Philodendrons
|
entire plant
|
house plant
|
| Pokeweed |
roots, seeds, berries
|
field plant
|
| Poinsettia
|
leaves, stem, flowers
|
house plant
|
| Poison hemlock
|
leaves, stem, fruit
|
field plant
|
| Potato |
shoots, sprouts
|
garden plant
|
| Rattle box
|
entire plant
|
wildflower
|
| Rhododendron
|
leaves |
ornamental shrub
|
| Rhubarb |
leaves |
garden plant
|
| Rosary pea
|
seeds |
house plant
|
| Skunk cabbage
|
entire plant esp
roots, leaves |
marsh plant
|
| Smartweeds
|
sap |
wildflower
|
| Snow-on-the-mountain
|
sap |
field plant
|
| Sorghum |
leaves |
grass |
| Star of Bethlehem
|
entire plant
|
wildflower
|
| Velvet grass
|
leaves |
grass |
| Wild black cherry
|
leaves, pits
|
tree |
| Wild radish
|
seeds |
wildflower
|
| Wisteria |
pods, seeds
|
ornamental plant
|
| Woody aster
|
entire plant
|
wildflower
|
| Yellow jessamine
|
entire plant
|
ornamental vine
|
| Yellow oleander
|
entire plant esp.
leaves |
garden plant
|
| Yellow pine flax
|
entire plant esp.
seedpods |
wildflower
|
| Yew |
bark, leaves, seeds
|
ornamental tree
|
Xylitol Warning Xylitol
is a sugar alcohol -- an artificial sweetener created from birch,
raspberries, plums and corn. This sweetener is found in many human "sugar
free" products, such as gum, candies and other sweets. In humans, high doses
may have a mild laxative effect, but in dogs, ingestion could be fatal.
It has been known for
quite some time that there is a link between xylitol ingestion and
hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) in dogs. Now, with the prevalence of this
sweeter in human foods, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center has noted a
connection between
xylitol consumption and acute toxicity in dogs.
Xylitol has also been suspected of causing toxicity in ferrets.
Signs of toxicity can be seen
as quickly as 30 minutes after xylitol ingestion in dogs. The xylitol causes
a rapid release of the hormone insulin, causing a sudden decrease in blood
glucose. This in turn may cause the following symptoms:
- Vomiting
- Weakness
- Ataxia (uncoordinated
movements)
- Depression
- Hypokalemia (decreased
potassium)
- Seizures
- Coma
- Liver dysfunction and/or
failure
Xylitol is found in
many products
The most common xylitol item is sugar-free gum. Gum can be found everywhere,
and is often tempting to dogs. Keep gum out of reach - watch out for open
pockets, purses, counter tops, and in the car. Xylitol can also be found in
sugar-free (low carb and diabetic) candies, baked goods, some
pharmaceuticals and many dental products, including mouthwashes, mints and
toothpastes. Only use
pet toothpaste for
pets, never human toothpaste.
If you suspect that
your pet has eaten a xylitol-containing sweet or food, please contact your
veterinarian or the
ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center
immediately.
Above information from
http://vetmedicine.about.com
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