Preface

While there are well illustrated books covering the subject of plant poisoning in people, such books are lacking on current information on plant toxicity in dogs and cats that can serve as a resource for veterinarians, pet owners, landscapers, plant nurseries, and others.

Plant poisoning of animals and people continues to be a frequently encountered problem in today’s home and garden environment. So much so that poison control centers receive thousands of calls every year regarding plant poisoning. As stated in the American Association of Poison Control Centers 2003 annual report, over 57,000 questions regarding plant poisoning of children were received by poison control centers in 2003 [1]. The most frequent plant exposures from this study are shown in Table 1. In another study from 1994 - 2001 involving 260,235 cases of poisoning exposures in children from 6 - 12 years of age, it was determined that 4% of the cases were attributed to plant poisoning [2]. The majority of cases were attributed to household products (20%), office products (14%), foreign bodies (12%), over-the-counter medicines (10%), cosmetics (9%), prescription medications (8%), and industrial chemicals (6%) [2]. Based upon the 10 most frequently reported signs of poisoning in people associated with 776,284 plant exposure cases reported to poison control centers in the United States, 20 common plants were most commonly ingested (Table 2) [3]. Similarly in a study of poison exposures in dogs and cats reported to poison control centers from 1993 - 1994, of the 116,432 poison exposures reported in dogs, 10.97% were attributed to plants, and of the 19,489 poison exposures in cats, 25.24% were plant related [4].

Owing to the international trade of plant species for commercial purposes, more and more plants are being introduced as ornamentals to the home and garden that are toxic to people and animals. For example the blood lily (Haemanthus spp.), glory lily (Gloriosa superba), and kalanchoes (Kalanchoe spp.) are well known toxic plants in their native habitat in Africa and are now commonly available as garden and house plants in many parts of the world.

This book is a resource for helping identify poisonous plants in the home and garden, as well as providing information on the toxic properties of the plants and the clinical signs that can be expected in animals that eat the plants. The book is organized alphabetically by the plant’s botanical name. For each plant, the common names, most common species and a description of the plant along with one or more pictures of the plant are provided. Emphasis has been placed on providing plant pictures that help the reader quickly identify the plant. A glossary of terms is also provided for clarity. Wherever possible, the principle toxin(s) present in the plant, its mode of action and the clinical signs of poisoning it will cause in animals are covered. For each plant the author has given a brief assessment of the relative risk that the plant poses to household pets, and where relevant the potential risk to people. While most plant poisoning exposures in dogs and cats cause relatively mild and transient signs, general treatment recommendations are given for each plant. It is beyond the scope of this book to provide the spectrum of treatment possibilities that are available, and it is therefore important that a veterinarian be consulted when large quantities of plant material have been or are suspected of having been eaten, and if the animal appears in distress. Early treatment can make all the difference in the animal’s recovery. This is especially true in cats that have chewed and eaten the leaves or flowers of lilies such as the Easter lily.

The famous statement by Paracelsus, born Theophrastus Phillippus Aureolus Bombastus von Hohenheim in Switzerland, aptly summarizes the basic concept of what makes a plant poisonous.

"Alle Ding’ sind Gift und nichts ohn’ Gift; allein die Dosis macht, das ein Ding kein Gift ist.", which translated states "All things are poison and nothing (is) without poison; only the dose makes that a thing is no poison." In other words, "the dose makes the poison".

Paracelsus (1493 - 1541)

As the reader will discover in this book there are many beautiful flowering plants available for the house and garden that are potentially harmful. It is the author’s sincere hope that the reader will not be deterred from enjoying these plants in their home and garden provided common sense prevails!