Several holiday plants seen in many households from mid November and through Spring can pose toxicity hazards to your pets. Some of the plants pose mild toxic signs while others can be fatal. Remember to call your veterinarian immediately if your dog or cat has ingested any of the plants. Also, it can really help your veterinarian determine if your pet is in any danger if you know the name of the plant versus describing the plant to your veterinarian.

The Poinsettia Plant

The scientific name of the poinsettia is Euphorbia pulcherrima. Many homes will have this plant during the winter holiday season. The colorful part of the plant are actual leaves and not flowers. All species in the Euphorbia genus contain an irritating, thick, milky sap. Ingestion of any part of the plant usually results in very mild signs. Signs include vomiting, anorexia (due to the irritating sap), and lethargy.  Call your veterinarian for further instructions on how to manage the toxicity. Signs are usually self limiting and can include withholding food and water for several hours.

The Mistletoe Plant

Mistletoe is in the family Viscaceae. In North America, four genera encompasses 43 species of mistletoe. However, only eight of those species have any toxicologic significance. The eight species are all in the Phoradendron genus.  American mistletoe, Phoradendron leucarpum (also known as Phoradendron serotinum and Phoradendron flavescens) is common in many households for Yuletide celebrations.  There are many toxic compounds in European and American mistletoe. One of the compounds can cause low blood pressure and heart contraction problems.  However, despite the potentially dangerous compounds in mistletoe, serious poisonings are uncommon. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center reported that the most common sign seen after a dog has ingested mistletoe are depression/lethargy, followed by vomiting. Other signs can include abdominal pain, diarrhea, cardiovascular collapse, severe hypotension and even death (only reported in a human ingesting a homemade mistletoe tea). Treatment is aimed at relieving the signs and symptoms. It is recommended that your pet see his/her regular veterinarian after known ingestion of mistletoe. Your veterinarian can induce vomiting in order to help decrease associated signs seen with mistletoe ingestion. In severe cases, your pet may need to be hospitalized on intravenous fluids and his/her blood pressure monitored.

The Holly Plant

Hollies are from the Aquifoliaceae family.  The holly in North America come from two genera but only the  Ilex genus (which has 9 species) is toxic.  The toxic compounds can be in the leaves and the berries of the holly plant.  When a pet eats a holly plant from the Ilex genus, the signs are usually mild and self limiting.  Signs can include vomiting, anorexia, excess salivation, and diarrhea.  Salivation can be lessened by rinsing out the animal's mouth.  Call your veterinarian for further recommendations if f any of the signs are seen in your pet.  Occasionally, dogs and cats will need to be hospitalized.

The Shamrock Plant

The shamrock plant that is most common in Northern America is different than the traditional shamrock plant in Ireland, which is actually a white clover.  The shamrock plant seen here is a member of the wood sorrel family and the scientific name for the plant is Oxalis acetosella.  The toxic part of this plant is the accumulation of "oxalates" found in the plant.  Oxalates can be absorbed across the gastrointestinal system and end up in the blood stream and then go to the kidneys.  In the kidneys, oxalic acid combines with calcium to form calcium oxalate crystals.  These crystals can then get deposited in the kidney cells and cause damage to the kidneys.  Luckily, most shamrock ingestion cases do not progress to this extreme.  Most animals will simply have vomiting, diarrhea, inappetance and salivation.  Dogs and cats that ingest large amounts of the plant or have a pre-existing kidney disease are at a higher risk of developing severe kidney problems.  Call your veterinarian for information if your pet should ingest a shamrock plant.  Your veterinarian will have recommendations for you and your pet.

The Easter Lily Plant

Lilies come from the genus Lilium and Hemerocallis.  Many lilies cause toxicity problems in dogs and cats, but cats are very sensitive to numerous lilies.  Cats can develop renal failure after ingesting some lily plants.  All parts of the plant are toxic and one leaf can be deadly in cats.  Initial signs can include depression, vomiting, and inappetance.  These signs occur 2-6 hours after ingestion.  Over the next 24-72 hours, kidney problems will arise and kidney values on bloodwork would be higher than normal.  Treatment includes decontaminating the animal (e.g. inducing vomiting) and starting the pet on intravenous fluids to help the kidneys.  Any delay in treatment can be fatal.

Plants such as peace lilies and calla lilies contain oxalates; these plants should not be confused with Lilium or Hemerocallis species.  Also, lilies of the valley are part of the Convallaria genus and contain cardiac (heart) glycosides (chemicals that affect the heart), thus are different than the lilies mentioned above.

If your dog or cat ingests a plant from the lily family, call your veterinarian immediately for further instructions.

Summary

Many plants can cause mild toxicity resulting in vomiting, diarrhea and anorexia.  Usually these signs are self limiting.  However, should your pet ingest any one of these plants, you should call your veterinarian to see what you should do for your animal.  It is very helpful to have the scientific name of the plant ingested, or at best, the correct generic name of the plant.  The plants mentioned can be confused with other non-toxic plants, thus knowing the name of the plant will help your veterinarian determine if you pet should have medical attention.