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Houseplant Poisoning in Small Animals Sandy Schmith Iowa State University Volume 49 | Issue 1 Article 5 1987 Houseplant Poisoning in Small Animals Sandy Schmith Iowa State University Thomas L. Carson Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/iowastate_veterinarian Part of the Veterinary Medicine Commons Recommended Citation Schmith, Sandy and Carson, Thomas L. (1987) "Houseplant Poisoning in Small Animals," Iowa State University Veterinarian: Vol. 49 : Iss. 1 , Article 5. Available at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/iowastate_veterinarian/vol49/iss1/5 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Iowa State University Veterinarian by an authorized editor of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Houseplant Poisoning in Small Animals Sandy E. Schmith* Thomas L. Carson, DVM, MS, PhD ** Plant poisoning in small animals is often over­ herbivores, and normally don't consume large looked as a cause ofclinical problems. Even though amounts ofplant material. Plant poisoning is usual­ it is an infrequent occurrence, veterinarians need ly accidental and only minimal precautions need to be aware ofthe various problem plants and their to be taken to prevent poisoning. There is more of actions on the animal's body. The moSt common a problem with younger animals as they are more body system affected is the gastrointestinal system, active and curious, especially with their mouths. followed by the cardiovascular and nervous systems. 3 Teething irritation can be relieved by chewing on Plants also cause irritation to the skin as well as objects in the environment. Older and immature mechanical injury. animals can resort to chewing and eating plants due Some toxic substances found in plants are used to boredom. There·is an increased chance ofpoison­ to manufacture commonly used drugs. There are ing when any new plant is introduced into the en­ many examples including cardioactive glycosides, vironment. The novelty of something new is just atropine, and acetylcholine. When consumed in too hard to resist. Any change in daily routine, such sufficient quantities by a healthy animal even these as moving to a new home, having the owners go substances can be fatal. on vacation, or a new baby, can upset the animal One ofthe major problems with poisonous plants enough that it starts chewing on household plants. is their identification. The same common name Psittacine birds (seed eaters) can be at higher risk often refers to many different plant species. It has due to higher concentrations of poisonous sub­ been suggested that when certain plants are sold, stances being found in the seeds of plants. they bear labels concerning the hazard of poison­ Defining what constitutes a poisonous plant is ing. Federal agencies propose that the most dan­ not easy, as almost any plant can cause adverse reac­ gerous plants in interstate commerce be labeled as tions if enough is ingested. One definition states hazardous. Plant nurserymen and commercial hor­ that "Poisonous species are those that contain ticulture associations have resisted vigorously. While specific components capable ofcausing specific bio­ the federal agencies believe that some plants are chemical or physiological symptoms when small fundamentally dangerous, horticulturalists argue quantities are ingested." 4 Another describes a they are not dangerous since people use them poisonous plant as "One which contains, in its en­ decoratively. Because ofthe insufficient amount of tirety or in any ofits parts, substances which, even scientific literature on the subject this conflict will in relatively small quantities, can cause varying be difficult to resolve. degrees of disability and even death." 5 It is not required that plant poisonings be report­ Allergic plants differ from poisonous plants in ed, and authenticated reports of plant poisonings that their effect depends on a pre-existing sensitiv­ in small animals are rare. 2 Even though the possi­ ity. A poisonous plant acts independently of this bility ofpoisoning is present, do not be led to be­ sensitivity. An allergy is an oversensitive reaction lieve that a person cannot have pets and plants in to a certain stimulant, and as such it affects only the same house. Dogs and cats are carnivores, not certain individuals, usually sporadically. 5 The stimulant, or allergens, can be toxic in themselves or only in the case ofthese hypersensitive individ­ *Ms. Schmith is a fourth year student in the College ofVeteri­ uals. An allergen stimulates the body into produc­ nary Medicine at Iowa State University. **Dr. Carson is a professor of Pathology in the Veterinary Diag­ ing a specific antibody, called a reagin, which reacts nostic Laboratory at Iowa State University. in future contacts between the allergen and the 22 Iowa State University Veten'narz'an body. One of the reactions which occurs is the FAMILY AQUIFOLIACEAE release of histamine. Histamine causes vasodilita­ Ilex aquifolium - holly tion and erythema of the exposed area. There will also be increased capillary permeability resulting in FAMILY EUPHORBIACEAE swelling of the area. These reactions can be local­ Euphorbia pulchem'ma - poinsettia ized, but if histamine is produced in sufficient Codiaeum variegatum - croton quantity to enter the blood stream, other areas of the body can be affected. An allergy tendency can CACTI be hereditary, and sometimes the antibodies (rea­ Lophophora (Echinocactus) williamsii ­ gins) which cause the allergic reactions can be de­ peyote tected in the blood. Symptoms caused by the Euphorbia ingens - candelabra ingestion ofallergenic substances are often similar Cephalocereus senilis - pencil to those caused by poisonous substances including vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Skin reac­ tions, such as erythema, pruritis, blisters, and other NONPOISONOUS eruptions, are usually caused by allergenics instead of poisons. Inhaled allergenics produce reactions FAMILY LABIATEAE similar to hay fever in man, usually due to wind­ Nepeta cataria - catnip or catmint borne plant pollen. Dermatitis is another form of allergic reaction and is manifested \vhen the con­ FAiyllLY ANACARDIACEAE tact between the allergen and the animal occurs at Rhus radicans - poison ivy skin level. Rhus diversiloba - poison oak Plants that are poisonous have no special distin­ Rhus vernix - poison sumac guishing features. All parts ofpoisonous plants are not toxic, and the poisonous substances may only Family Araceae be present in the plant during certain seasons or at certain stages of growth. The identification of One ofthe most popular families ofhouseplants a plant will be easier ifa large amount ofthe plant is the Araceae. They are seen in many homes, and is available for examination. It is equally important are commonly the culprits in plant poisonings, both to identify a plant or plant part that is nonpoisonous human and animal. There are about 1800 species because therapeutic measures may upset the patient in this family, and most are perennial herbaceous more than a mild intoxication. plants of tropical origin. The Araceae family in­ Following is a list ofpoisonous and nonpoisonous cludes the well known Dieffinbachia or "dumb plants found in many households. Both common cane", and Philodendron spp., as well as many and scientific names are given. others. The Dieffinbachia are perennials which come from Brazil and the West Indies. They have straight POISONOUS stems with clusters ofthickly veined leaves on their FAMILY ARACEAE sheath-like petioles. In their natural habitat they Dieffinbachia spp. - dumb cane can reach a height oftwo meters. They are favorites Philodendron spp. - sweetheart vine as houseplants because they can adapt to the dry Alocasia antiquorum - elephant's ear air of centrally heated rooms. In the West Indies Caladium spp. - fancy leaf during the slave era, Dieffinbachia was used as a Epipremnum aureum - devil's ivy or pothos means of torture and was sometimes used to tem­ porarily silence unwelcome witnesses, hence the FAMILY ARALIACEAE name "dumb cane". Hedera spp. - english, heart, needlepoint, A special anatomical character of the Araceae and ripple ivy family is the presence ofisolated oil cells, often so Scheff/era actinophylla - umbrella plant numerous as to allow pharmaceutical use of their natural metabolic product, the essential oil. All FAMILY LILIACEAE Araceae contain calcium oxalate, mostly in the form Asparagus fern of raphides, (also seen as clusters called druses), crystal sand, or larger single crystals. FAMILY LORANTHACEAE Calcium oxalate crystals (raphides) playa part in Phoradendron flavescens - mistletoe the strong irritant action that most Araceae have 'Vol. 49, No. 1 23 on the skin and mucous membranes. These needle­ cium oxalate needles, almost halves the period re­ like raphides, grooved at both ends, are present quired for the injuries to heal. 6 throughout the plants in the millions, and are partly located in highly specialized ejector cells. 6 Slight Seasonal Houseplants pressure causes the caps of the ampoule-shaped Christmas holidays bring a greater potential for raphide ejector cells to open, and with a sudden plant poisoning with the many beautiful live swelling of the mucilginous cell contents, the decorative plants brought into the home. Mistle­ raphides are instantly expelled from the cell. These toe, holly, and poinsettia can pose problems when fine needles, up to 250um long, are able to pene­ eaten
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