Killers In Your Garden

This list of poisonous and dangerous plants appeared in the July, 1978 edition of this magazine (then entitled the R.A.S. Kennel Control Journal). It is just as relevant and important to the dog owners today.

There are many plants commonly found in home gardens which could prove lethal to dogs and espically puppies (who chew everything) – not to mention yourself and your children. Below is a list of some of those plants with the effects they can have if eaten – even in minute quantities.

AZALEA (entire plant) Paralysis of the muscles, including the heart. Depression of the central nervous system. Sometimes fatal

BIRD OF PARADISE (seed pods) Nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.

BUTTERCUP (entire plant) Stomach irritation, diarrhoea, and in large quantitites, convulsions

CALLA LILY (entire plant)
Intense burning sensation and irritation of the mouth and stomach

CASTOR BEAN (entire plant but espically the seeds)
Burning sensation in mouth. Swallowing two or more seeds may cause serious illness or death.

DAFFODIL (bulb) Severe vomiting and diarrhoea, trembling, convulsions and sometimes death.

DAPHNE (entire plant) Burning and ulceration of stomach and intestines, bloody vomiting and diarrhoea.

ENGLISH IVY (leaves and berries) General excitement, difficulties in breathing, coma.

HOLLY (berries) vomiting, diarrhoea, weakness and collapse

IRIS (leaves, roots, and fleshy portions) Severe but temporary digestive upset.

JERUSALEM CHERRY (berries) Vomiting, diarrhoea and collapse.

LANTANA (berries) Gastro-intestinal irritation, muscular weakness and circulatory difficulties. Sometimes fatal.

OLEANDER (entire plant) Nausea, depression, bloody diarrhoea, weakend and irregular pulse and paralysis.

POINSETTIA (leaves and stem) Diarrhoea, abdominal cramps and delirium. Sap can cause skin irritation and, if rubbed in eyes, blindness.

POISON OAK (leaves) skin irritation

PRIVET (entire plant) Bloody vomiting, diarrhoea, severe irritation of digestive tract and general nervous symptoms.

RANUNCULUS see Buttercup

RHUBARB (leaves) Vomitting, severe abdominal pain, muscle cramps and, in large quanties, convulsions, coma and death.

WISTERIA (entire plant) Severe vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea.

YELLOW JESSAMINE (entire plant) Thirst, dilation of pupils, redden skin, headache, high blood pressure and rapid pulse, convulsion, delirium and coma.

It is not safe to assume that just because you can eat one part of a plant, the rest isn’t poisonous. For instance, although we eat peaches, both the stone and leaf contain cyanide and children have actually died from eating too many of the kernels. Although Rhubarb stalks are good to eat, the leafy portion has been known to cause fatalities in humans.