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Are poinsettias poisonous for pets


Poinsettia Are Toxic To Pets

Poinsettia Are Toxic To Pets | Pet Poison Helpline

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plants

Alternate names

Euphorbia, lobster flower, flame leaf flower, Flower of the Holy Night, Flower of Christmas Eve, Crown of the Andes, Easter flower

During the holidays, poinsettias are a popular Christmas plant. Though they have a bad rap, poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) plants are only mildly toxic to cats and dogs. The milky white sap found in poinsettias contains chemicals called diterpenoid euphorbol esters and saponin-like detergents. While poinsettias are commonly “hyped” as poisonous plants, they rarely are, and the poisoning is greatly exaggerated. When ingested, mild signs of vomiting, drooling, or rarely, diarrhea may be seen. If the milky sap is exposed to skin, dermal irritation (including redness, swelling, and itchiness) may develop. Rarely, eye exposure can result in mild irritation. Signs are generally self-limiting and typically don’t require medical treatment unless severe and persistent. There is no antidote for poinsettia poisoning. That said, due to the low level of toxicity seen with poinsettia ingestion, medical treatment is rarely necessary unless clinical signs are severe.

Common signs to watch for:

 

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Dogs

Toxicity Level

Mild

Cats

Toxicity Level

Mild

Disclaimer

The content of this page is not veterinary advice. A number of factors (amount of substance ingested, size of the animal, allergies, etc.) determine what is toxic to a particular pet. If you think your pet has eaten something potentially toxic, call Pet Poison Helpline or seek immediate veterinary treatment.

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Are Poinsettias Poisonous to Dogs?

Back To Vet's Corner

QUESTION:

My two-year-old Basenji is a very curious pup and still gets into things and chews on occasion. For the past two years, as a safety precaution, I kept holiday decorating to a minimum. I did not have poinsettias, lights, or candles – in fact, I hardly decorated at all aside from a tabletop tree. This year I would really like to decorate and feel more relaxed about doing so without worrying that my dog will ingest or destroy my holiday decorations. I especially love live Poinsettias, but I’m concerned about my dog getting into it. Are these plants highly toxic to dogs? While I can try to keep her away from the actual plant, I’m a bit worried about the leaves dropping and her getting into them. Any pointers you can provide to help me keep my dog safe this Holiday season would be excellent.

 

ANSWER:

It sounds like you are taking a responsible-dog-owner approach to your Christmas decorating. Pet owners need to be aware of hazards posed to their dogs from the puppy years all throughout their lives. From ingestion dangers to electric shock, many customary Christmas decorations can be hazardous to dogs and cats.

Poinsettias are a mildly toxic plant and should certainly be used with caution, but the dangers are hardly ever serious or fatal. The milky white sap found in poinsettias contains chemicals similar to those in detergents and when large quantities are ingested, mild signs of vomiting, drooling, or sometimes diarrhea may be seen. Skin irritation can occur when in contact with the milky white sap as well. Due to the low level of toxicity seen with poinsettia ingestion, you are safe to use them in your house with caution. All reasonable precautions should be made such as keeping plants and decorations out of your dog’s reach and never leaving your dog unattended when decorations, plants and potentially hazardous foods are present.

While medical treatment is rarely necessary when a dog ingests a leaf from a poinsettia plant, you should contact your veterinarian if clinical signs appear in your dog. Below is a more detailed list of common Christmas plants that are dangerous to dogs.

And a helpful video on ways to keep your dog safe this Christmas

Happy and Safe Holidays to you and your dog!

Common Holiday and Christmas Plants that are Dangerous to Dogs

Is the beautiful poinsettia poisonous and can it poison you and your cat?

Useful information

Admin, November 23, 2018 - 17:00

Poinsettia, also known as the Star of Bethlehem, is without a doubt a flower loved by many. It has entered the "canon" of obligatory holiday decorations, almost like a traditional New Year and Christmas tree. Although the plant beautifully decorates our homes, many fear that the poinsettia is a poisonous plant and can cause allergies. nine0003

A lot of negative opinions have accumulated around her, which, however, do not always correspond to reality. Find out if the poinsettia is poisonous or not, in whom it can cause allergies, and what threatens contact with the juice flowing from the shoots of the flower.

Poinsettia - Christmas star - poisonous to humans or not?

The tissues of the poinsettia contain a poisonous white milky juice - as, indeed, in all other members of the family. This juice contains euphorbic acid, euphorbin and cyanogenic compounds, which can painfully burn the skin, cause inflammation, and if it gets into the eyes, even temporarily blind a person. nine0003

Poisonous juices are found in the root, leaves and stems. It is also worth knowing that the bracts that delight us (those that turn so beautifully red) owe their color to dyes belonging to anthocyanins.

All this sounds menacing. And so much so that some believe that the name of the plant comes from the English. the word poison, meaning "poison". But this is just complete nonsense! The name "poinsettia" comes from the surname Poinsett of a man named Joel Roberts who brought the Star of Bethlehem from Mexico to the United States. nine0003

In practice, as it turns out, information about the strong toxic effect and poisonousness of poinsettia is greatly exaggerated. Although the Star of Bethlehem can cause gastrointestinal distress, nausea, and vomiting after ingestion, in practice, this accounts for less than 10% of human consumption of the plant. The ailment is usually very mild and rare.

However, if a poinsettia flower has appeared in the house, it is worth placing it in a place inaccessible to small children, and while caring for the plant, avoid direct contact with juices that can leak out, for example, when breaking a branch. But there is no need to exaggerate. The sheer number of indoor plants grown in our apartments can be far more poisonous than the Star of Bethlehem. nine0003

Can poinsettias cause allergies?

Growing poinsettias should be avoided by people who are allergic to latex. Almost every second person with this type of it has symptoms of sensitization upon direct contact with the Star. The result of such contact can be inflammation of the skin, mucous membranes, and much less often - an attack of allergic asthma.

In this regard, the damaged parts of the plant, from which the juice flows, should be handled with care, try not to get dirty, and even more so - do not rub the eye with milk. Wash your hands thoroughly after work, just in case. nine0003

Will the Christmas star be poison to your cat or dog?

Poinsettia is not very toxic to pets. So, for example, in the case of cats, the risk can generally be defined as small. Plants such as azalea, oleander, clivia, Persian cyclamen or the very popular ficus benjamin are much more dangerous for a cat.

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However, it is worth knowing that if the juices of the Christmas star get on the mucous membranes of the animal, they can cause severe irritation and pain. And if swallowed, severe diarrhea and vomiting can occur, eventually leading to dehydration of the pet. nine0003

What should I do if my cat or dog manages to get poisoned by poinsettia? First aid is to treat irritated eyes or mouth with clean, warm water. Then you should contact the veterinarian, who will give antiemetic drugs, coal and, if necessary, take measures to hydrate the animal's body and give him painkillers.

Thus, the poisonousness of the poinsettia plant is sometimes greatly exaggerated. But having this beautiful "Christmas" flower in the house, it would be wise to exercise some caution. nine0003

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"Christmas Star" poisonous? | Newspaper "Vesti" online

Collage by Irina MAKSIMENKO

Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherima) or "Christmas star" is a bright plant that has firmly entered our homes. Already before the New Year, it is massively purchased for gifts and home decoration. Traditionally, poinsettia is placed on the Christmas table. And indeed, its bright colors instantly give a festive mood to any room for all the New Year holidays. However, recently articles have begun to appear about the "dark side" of this bright plant - it is poisonous! Especially dangerous for pets and children who can gnaw on its leaves. nine0073

Considering that the red color in nature often signals danger, this can be believed. But it is not so. Let's destroy this myth and fix the reputation.

Indeed, Poinsettia or Euphorbia is a poisonous plant. However, do not rush to throw away the flower.

Neither the flowers nor the leaves themselves are dangerous. The poinsettia also has no odor harmful to humans or animals. Poisonous, like all plants of the milkweed family, is the whitish juice secreted from the stem if it is broken. nine0003

But poinsettia is not an edible plant. And do not put it in salads, even for beauty. On the festive table, and so there will be a lot of tasty and beautiful.

In addition, the plant is said to have a terrible taste (it never occurred to me to try). If a child or pet bites off a leaf, they will most likely just spit it out and not be tempted again. And even if they (children, animals) swallow the leaves, there is usually nothing to worry about.

"The poinsettia contains an irritant juice," says an assistant professor of toxicology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, "the juice can cause mild discomfort." nine0003

These discomforts can include skin irritation and stomach upset, but studies do not show severe effects from poinsettia consumption. In practice, this applies to less than 10% of cases of human consumption of the plant.

True, people who are allergic to latex may experience allergic symptoms upon direct contact with poinsettia: inflammation of the skin, mucous membranes, very rarely an allergic asthma attack. Allergy sufferers themselves know about their problems and know how to take them into account in their lives. nine0003

It is not at all difficult to prevent undesirable consequences. It is enough not to give flowers to small children, who tend to put everything they like into their mouths.

To protect the plant from possible encroachments of pets - as you know, indoor plants are especially often of interest to cats and parrots. And on holidays, the usual interiors change. Everything should be examined…

If the juice gets on the mucous membranes of the animal, the juice causes irritation and pain, if swallowed, diarrhea and vomiting may occur. Then you need to rinse the irritated eyes or the mouth of the animal with clean warm water. Then you should contact the veterinarian, who will give drugs for vomiting, charcoal, hydration if necessary, and offer analgesics. nine0003

But it's better to keep the poinsettia out of reach. Although serious problems are not expected, however, the holidays can be spoiled by a visit to the hospital and the subsequent strict diet for several days.

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