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Dog poinsettia poison


Are Poinsettias Poisonous to Dogs?

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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

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

Helpful 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.

Many 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 sap, just like 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.

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.

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 should be installed 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.

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.

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.

What should I do if my cat or dog has managed 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.

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Poinsettia poisonous or not

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Poinsettia (Bethlehem or Christmas star) has without a doubt entered the canon of obligatory holiday decorations, almost like a traditional Christmas tree. Although this flower decorates the house beautifully, many fear that the Star of Bethlehem is poisonous and can cause allergies. A lot of unflattering opinions have accumulated around the plant, in reality they are a little exaggerated. Find out if the Star of Bethlehem is really a poisonous flower that causes allergies and what threatens contact with the leaked juice from the shoots.

Is poinsettia poisonous to humans?

Poinsettia, or the most beautiful Euphorbia, contains poisonous white milky juice in its tissues, like all Euphorbia. Milky juice contains in its composition euphorbonic acid, euphorbon and cyanogenic compounds, painfully burn the skin, cause inflammation of the skin, getting into the eyes, can temporarily blind a person. Poisonous juices are found in the root, leaves and stems. The bracts that we admire (colored red) owe their color to dyes belonging to anthocyanins.

This all sounds scary. And enough for some people to think that the name poinsettia comes from the English. the word poison, meaning poison. But this is complete nonsense! The name poinsettia comes from the name of Joel Roberts Poinsett, who brought the star of Bethlehem from Mexico to the United States.

In practice, reports of the highly toxic effects of poinsettia are greatly exaggerated. After ingestion, the Star of Bethlehem can cause gastrointestinal disturbances, nausea and vomiting, in practice this applies in less than 10% of cases of human consumption of the plant. Diseases are usually mild and rare.

When bringing poinsettia to the home, it is worth putting it in a place inaccessible to small children, while growing the plant, avoid direct contact with the juice, it can leak out when the branch is broken. A huge number of indoor plants grown at home are much more poisonous than poinsettia.

Does poinsettia cause allergies?

Christmas star cultivation should be avoided by people who are allergic to latex. Almost every second since Allergic to latex Sensitization symptoms occur when in direct contact with the poinsettia. The result of such contact may be inflammation of the skin, mucous membranes, much less often an attack of allergic asthma .

Care should be taken with a damaged plant, trying not to stain or rub the eyes with the juice flowing from the branches. Wash your hands thoroughly after work, just in case.

Is poinsettia poisonous to cats and dogs?

The toxicity of the Christmas star to pets is low. In the case of cats, the threats can be defined as small. Plants are highly toxic to cats: Azalea, Oleander, Clivia, Persian Cyclamen, or the very popular Benjamin's Ficus.

If the juice gets on the mucous membranes of the animal, the juice causes severe irritation and pain, if swallowed, severe diarrhea and vomiting may occur, ultimately leading to dehydration of the animal. First aid is to wash the irritated eyes or mouth with clean warm water. Then you should contact your veterinarian, who will give you drugs for vomiting, charcoal, hydration if necessary, and suggest analgesics.

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