Though they have a bad rap,
poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) plants are only mildly toxic to cats and
dogs.
Sources:
During the holidays, Poinsettias are
a popular Christmas plant.
Mechanism
of action:
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. Far more worrisome
are the plants listed below!
Signs
of poisoning:
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 a mild conjunctivitis (“pink eye” secondary to
inflammation). Signs are self-limiting and generally don’t require medical
treatment unless severe.
Antidote
and treatment:
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.
Threat:
Minimal.
Other
plants to worry about:
Far more worrisome are holiday
bouquets containing lilies, holly or mistletoe. Even bouquets brought into the
house by holiday guests should be thoroughly inspected, as lilies are the #1
flower often used by florists. Just one or two bites from a lily can result in
severe acute kidney failure in cats – even the pollen is thought to be poisonous!
Other yuletide pants such as holly berries, mistletoe, and rosemary can also be
toxic to dogs and cats. When Christmas or English holly is ingested, it can
result in severe gastrointestinal upset thanks to the spiny leaves and the
potentially toxic substances (including saponins, methylxanthines, and
cyanogens). If ingested, most dogs and cats lip smack, drool, and head shake
excessively due to the mechanical injury from the spiny leaves. As for
mistletoe, most of us hang it high enough so it’s out of reach of our dogs and
cats – nevertheless, it can also be toxic if ingested. Thankfully, American
mistletoe is less toxic than the European varieties of it. Mild signs of
gastrointestinal irritation are seen, although if ingested in large amounts,
collapse, hypotension, ataxia (walking drunk), seizures and death have also
been reported.
