Winter Fact or Fiction?
In veterinary school we are taught that Poinsettias are poisonous to animals. In truth the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) does not even include poinsettias on their list of poisonous plants. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals lists poinsettias as “not poisonous to pets”. So where did all the holiday fears come from?
In 1919 a 2 year old girl ingested poinsettias and died later that day of unknown causes. It was believed that plant was the cause of her death, but it was never confirmed. So then poinsettias began to be classified as a toxic plant.
Decades later, the public even petitioned for a label warning of their toxicity be placed on retail plants, but the government denied the request for lack of evidence.
In 1996, Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh participated in a study where ~23,000 children were admitted through out the year for suspected poinsettia poisoning. Of all those children there was “no toxicity of any kind” found.
The Ohio State University finally proved that poinsettias are non-toxic to both humans and pets. All parts of the plant were tested, including the leaves and the sap, and nothing threatening was found.
So is it safe to bring a poinsettia in your house with pets?? Well, I would say with any type of plant that is not meant for consumption there is a risk of GI upset if ingested. Meaning, with most plants, if a pet eats them, they might vomit up the plant they ate, or have diarrhea etc. Poinsettia’s will not cause harm to their vital internal organs (kidneys, liver, heart, etc). Use your best judgement on what type of personality your pet has. If your pets don’t chew up things that are not meant for them, then I am sure you are in the clear. Although, if you have a pet who is a clown about anything and everything, save yourself the trouble during the holidays, and keep the poinsettia out of reach. I know the last thing I want to clean up during the holidays is diarrhea!
Mistletoe is another story! Mistletoe is HIGHLY toxic, it causes vomiting, diarrhea, labored breathing, lowered heart rate, seizures, shock, and death. That is an obvious decoration that I don’t think is worth bringing into your home.
Holly Berries are another decoration that is HIGHLY toxic, it attacks the nervous system and the heart just like mistletoe.
If ingestion of mistletoe and/or holly berries occurs, you need to go seek veterinary help immediately. Even if a pet does vomit pieces up after ingestion there is still going to be a concern for their body having to filter out any remaining pieces. Anything from medical observation to hospitalization with intravenous fluids could be necessary. The most important details to remember to tell you veterinarian is “what type of plant”, “how much”, and “what time” pertaining to the ingested substance.
Remember the holidays are meant to be enjoyed, so keep yourselves and your pets as safe as possible.
