DEATH IN THE GARDEN
There are many plants commonly fund in home gardens which could prove lethal to
dogs and especially to puppies (who chew everything) – not to mention yourself
and your children. Below is a list of some of those plants with the effects they
can have if eaten – even in small quantities.
Azalea (entire plant): Paralysis of the muscles, including the
heart. Depression of the central nervous system. Sometimes fatal.
Bird of paradise (seed pods): Nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.
Buttercup (entire plant): Stomach irritation, diarrhoea, and in
large quantities, convulsions.
Calla Lily (entire plant): Intense burning sensation and
irritation of the mouth and stomach.
Castor Bean (entire plant but especially seeds):
Burning sensation in mouth, 2 or more seeds may cause serious illness/death.
Daffodil (Bulb): Severe vomiting and diarrhoea, trembling,
convulsions and sometimes death.
Daphne (entire plant): Burning and ulceration of stomach and
intestines, bloody vomiting and diarrhoea.
English ivy (leaves & berries): General excitement,
difficulties in breathing, coma.
Holly (berries): Vomiting, diarrhoea, weakness and collapse.
Isis (leaves, roots & fleshy portions): Severe but temporary
digestive upsets.
Jerusalem Cherry (berries): Vomiting, diarrhoea and collapse.
Lantana (berries): Gastro-intestinal irritation, muscular
weakness and circulatory difficulties. Sometimes fatal.
Oleander (entire plant): Nausea, depression, bloody diarrhoea,
weakened and irregular pulse and paralysis.
Poinsettia (leaves & stems): Diarrhoea, abdominal cramps and
delirium. Sap can cause skin irritation and if rubbed in eyes, blindness.
Poison Oak (leaves): Skin irritation.
Privet (entire plant): bloody vomiting, diarrhoea, severe
irritation of the digestive tract and general nervous symptoms.
Ranunculus (see Buttercup).
Rhubarb (leaves): Vomiting, severe abdominal pain, muscle
cramps and in large quantities, convulsions, coma and death.
Wisteria(entire plant): Severe vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea.
Yellow Jasmine (entire plant): Thirst, dilation of pupils,
redenned skin, headache, high blood pressure and rapid pulse, convulsion,
delirium and coma.
It is not safe to assume that just because you can eat part of a plant, the rest
isn’t poisonous.
For instance, although we eat peaches, both the stone and leaf contain cyanide.
Apricots also
contain cyonide and children have actually died from eating too many of the
kernels. Although
Rhubarb stalks are good to eat, the leafy portion has been known to cause
fatalities in humans.