POISONOUS PLANT GUIDE

Taken from a handout printed by the AKC Canine Health Foundation which was reprinted from The Merck Veterinary Manual, 7th edition, 1991, published by Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, New Jersey.

This chart may be used as a guide to preventing pet exposure to poisonous plants. Call your veterinarian immediately if you suspect your pet has been exposed to any poisonous substance.

Plants are an important part of the decor of homes; thus, toxicoses in pets chewing on or ingesting these plants can be expected. Inquiries to Poison Control Centers on plants ingested by children <5 years old are estimated at 5-10% of all inquiries. Similar estimates (though not documented) could he made for pets.

Little research has been done on the toxicity of house plants. Most of them are hybrids, and selecting for growth outside their natural environment could affect their degree of toxicity. Age of the pet, boredom, and changes in the surroundings are factors that may affect the incidence of poisoning. Puppies and kittens are very inquisitive, and almost everything they come in contact with reaches the mouth. Pets (especially single household pets) may become bored or restless if left alone or confined for too long at any one time, and chewing on objects for relief is common in pets of all ages. Pets of all ages explore changes in their environment, such as occurs when potentially poisonous plants are placed in the home during holidays. A common response is to chew on the leaves or ripe berries of these plants. The following table gives more detail on the potential toxicity of some of these plants.

SCIENTIFIC NAME
(FAMILY)		 COMMON NAME IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS REMARKS AND TOXIC PRINCIPLES AND EFFECTS TREATMENT
Caladium spp
(Araceae)		 Caladium, Angel Wings Perennial herbs with simple, heart-shaped, thin, highlighted veins, variegated leaves; yellow-green spathe; grown from rhizomes. Calcium oxalate crystals and unknowns found in all parts, especially the rhizomes. Ingestion causes immediate intense pain, local irritation to mucous membranes, excess salivation, swollen tongue and pharynx, diarrhea, and dyspnea. Symptomatic.
Chlorophytum spp
(Liliaceae)		 Spider Plant, St. Bernard's Lily, Airplane Plant Rhizomatous herbs with leaves slightly glossy, succulent, narrow, strap-like, green - some with a broad yellow or white band down the middle; long cream hanging stems with small white flowers developing into plantlets. Often grown in hanging baskets. Unknown toxin(s) found in the leaves and plantlets. Vomiting, salivation, retching and transient anorexia observed in cats within hours of ingestion. Deaths and diarrhea have not been reported. Symptomatic.
Cyclamen spp
(Primulaceae)		 Cyclamen, Snowbread, Shooting Star Herbaceous plants, grown from rhizomes or tubers; petioled, heart-shaped, deep green intermixed with lighter green coloration (same leaf), serrated leaves; stems upright, with a terminal pink or white butterfly-like flower. Triterpinoid saponins found in the tuberous rhizomes. GI problems, convulsions, and paralysis. Toxins cause local irritation and are therefore well absorbed from the GI tract. Symptomatic.
Dieffenbachia spp
(Araceae)		 Dumbcane Fairly tall, erect, unbranched, fleshy plant, the stem girdled with leaf scars; leaves large, thickly veined, sheath-like petioles, blade with white or yellow spots. Calcium oxalate crystals and unknown toxic proteins (possible asparagine or protoanemonin) in all parts, including sap. On ingestion, there is immediate intense pain, burning and inflammation of the mouth and throat, anorexia, vomiting, and possibly diarrhea, with tongue extended, head shaking, excessive salivation, and dyspnea. Immediate pain limits amount consumed. Death infrequent. Symptomatic.
Digitalis purpurea
(Scrophulariacae)		 Foxglove An erect biennial with simple, petioled (long on lower, short or sessile on upper), alternate, toothed, hairy, ovate to lanceolate leaves; purple, pink, red, white, or yellow tubular flowers (with spots) in terminal racemes; fruit is a capsule with many seeds. Cardiac glycosides (digitoxin, digitalin, digoxin, and others), saponins, and alkaloids found throughout plant. Potency not affected by drying. Generally, acute abdominal pain, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, frequent urination, irregular slow pulse, tremors, convulsions, and rarely death. Symptomatic.
Dracaena spp
(Agavaceae)		 Dragon Tree Robust palm-like house plant with lance-shaped, thin, variegated, alternate, nonpetioled leaves. Yellow, red, or green stripes along leaf margins in some species. Lower leaves are lost, leaf scars remain and clearly demarcated, terminal leaves are retained as the plant matures. Alkaloids, saponins, and resin found in the leaves. Vomiting and severe diarrhea indicative of GI irritation expected. Clinical cases have not been reported. Symptomatic, to correct fluid and electrolyte imbalance.
Euphorbia pulcherrima
(Euphorbiaceae)		 Poinsettia, Christmas Flower, Christmas Star A perennial shrub with a milky white sap throughout; leaves are alternate, petioled, distinctly veined, entire or lobed, and conspicuously bright red, pink, or white (terminal leaves), lower leaves remain green; flowers small and inconspicuous. Milky sap contains unknown toxic principle(s); irritates mucous membranes and causes excessive salivation and vomiting, but not death. Toxicity (hybrid species) has not been supported experimentally. Toxic diterpenes (ingenol derivatives) found in other Euphorbia spp have not been found in this species. Symptomatic.  Gastric lavage, activated charcoal, and saline cathartics should be considered.
Hex aquifolium
(Aquifoliaceae)		 English Holly, European Holly Evergreen shrub with leaves leathery, glossy upper surface, spiny toothed, alternate, and petioled; fruits are red to yellow berries with many seeds and an aromatic taste. Saponins; an alkaloid (theobromine), triterpene compounds, and unknown compounds with digitalis-like cardiotonic activity have been found in leaves, fruits, and seeds. Abdominal pains, vomiting and diarrhea observed following ingestion of >2 berries. Death rare. Symptomatic at best.
Kalanchoe spp
(Crassulaceae)		 Kalanchoe, Airplant, Cathedral Bells White flowering, herbaceous, succulent, nonhardy annuals or perennials; fleshy, serrate or crenate, opposite, petioled leaves; bright red, orange, or pink flowers in umbel. Stems become woody and untidy with age. Unknown toxic compound(s) found in the leaves. Within hours of ingesting a toxic dose, depression, rapid breathing, teeth grinding, ataxia, paralysis, opisthotonus (rabbit), and death (rat). Symptomatic;  atropine has been effective in rabbits.
Narcissus spp
(Amaryllidaceae)
and Hyacinthus spp
(Liliaceae)		 Daffodils and Hyacinths Garden ornamentals that grow from bulbs (close resemblance to onion bulbs) and flower in early spring. Bulbs harvested and stored in fall for replanting in spring. Calcium oxalate crystals and alkaloids (their toxic potential yet to be defined) are found in the bulbs. Following ingestion of a toxic dose (bulbs), vomiting, diarrhea, and rare deaths are reported. Bulbs in storage may be accessible to pets. Symptomatic.
Philodendron spp
(Araceae)		 Philodendron Climbing vines with aerial roots; leaves (major attraction as a house plant) are large, unlobed or pinnately lobed and heart-shaped; rarely flowering. Calcium oxalate crystals and unidentified proteins throughout the entire plant. On ingestion, there is immediate pain, local irritation to mucous membranes, excessive salivation, edematous tongue and pharynx, dyspnea, and renal failure. Excitability, nervous spasms, convulsions, and occasional encephalitis have been reported in cats. Symptomatic.
Phoradendron flavescens
(Viscaceae)		 Mistletoe Perennial parasitic shrub that grows on deciduous trees. Evergreen, ovoid, opposite leaves on round, highly branched, green stem. White berries with single seed. Brought into homes during Christmas season. Amines (?-phenylethylamine, acetylcholine, choline, and tyramine), toxic proteins (viscotoxins), and unknowns found in all parts. Vomiting, profuse diarrhea, dilated pupils, rapid labored breathing, shock, and death from cardiovascular collapse within hours of ingesting toxic dose. Symptomatic.

 
Rhododendron spp
(Ericaceae)		 Azalea, Rhododendron Evergreen or deciduous shrub with simple, alternate, entire, leaves; funnel-shaped flowers in terminal umbel-like clusters or solitary and of various colors; fruits are capsules with many seeds. Andromedotoxins (grayanotoxins) found in all parts, including the pollen and nectar. Within hours of ingestion of a toxic dose (1g/kg), salivation, lacrimation, vomiting, diarrhea, dyspnea, muscle weakness, convulsions, coma, and death. Signs may last several days, but the toxin is not cumulative. Symptomatic.  Gastric lavage, activated charcoal, saline cathartics, calcium injection, and antibiotics to control possible pneumonia suggested.
Sansevieria spp
(Agavaceae)		 Sansevieria, Snake Plant, Mother-In-Law's Tongue Hardy, succulent house plant; leaves erect, elongate, lanceolate, and flat or cylindrical, dark green with or without a yellow stripe along the margins, and horizontal gray bands throughout; many yellow star-like flowers on a tall central raceme or spike. Hemolytic saponin and organic acids found in the leaves and flowers. Vomiting, salivation, diarrhea, and hemolysis related to the GI activity of these compounds. Symptomatic.  Fluids and electrolytes may be necessary.
Schefflera spp
(Araliaceae)		 Schefflera, Umbrella Tree Fast-growing evergreen with glossy, palmately compound leaves that hang and spread, appearing like an umbrella; depending on the species, leaflets increase with plant maturity and are more compact; veins are pronounced; margins entire to slightly crenate. Oxalate found in the leaves. Mucous membrane irritation, salivation, anorexia, vomiting, and if severe enough, diarrhea. Symptomatic.
Solanum pseudocapsicum
(Solanaceae)		 Jerusalem Cherry A shrub with simple, lanceolate, entire or slightly serrated leaves; small star-shaped white flowers; ripe fruits are red, shiny berries with many white seeds. Solanocapsine and related alkaloids found in the leaves and fruits. Anorexia, abdominal pain, vomiting, hemorrhagic diarrhea, salivation, progressive weakness or paralysis, dyspnea, bradycardia, circulatory collapse, dilated pupils, and convulsions are reported. Symptomatic.  Gastric lavage, activated charcoal, electrolytes and fluids, and anticonvulsants suggested.
Taxus spp
(Taxaceae)		 Yew Evergreen tree or small erect shrub with alternate, needle-like, glossy (upper surface), dull (lower surface) leaves; seeds (generally one per fruit), black-brown or green, nearly enclosed in a cup-shaped, fleshy, red covering (aril). The alkaloids (taxines and ephedrine), cyanide, and volatile oils found throughout the plant except the fleshy aril. Nervousness, trembling, ataxia, dyspnea, collapse; bradycardia progressing to cardiac standstill and death without struggle. Empty right heart, dark tarry blood in left heart, limited non-specific postmortem lesions. Symptomatic at best;  usually futile once clinical signs appear.  Atropine may be helpful.

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