Holiday plants toxic to dogs
Article Source: examiner.com
Article by: Emily Randolph
Emily is in the kitchen making Happy and me some holiday cookies (recipes to follow) so I’m taking over the keyboard. I’m no spring pup, and I’ve learned some hard lessons in my life, including eating things that I shouldn’t have. I want to warn you young things out there that not everything you want to chew on is good for you. Tell your owners to be hyper vigilant. Expect a very large stomachache or something far worse should you get into the below holiday items. Trust me; it’s not worth it. You will cause your owner a great deal of worry, and on top of that, there will be a very large vet bill!
The following holiday plants are poisonous to us dogs if ingested. If you become ill with seizures, vomiting, losing consciousness, or breathing difficulty, have your owner telephone ahead and bring you immediately to your local veterinarian or emergency veterinary clinic.:
• Poinsettia
• Mistletoe
• Holly
• Amaryllis, Narcissus, Daffodil
• The Christmas tree!
Other holiday no-nos - chocolate: Because it is the holidays, there’s likely to be lots of lovely chocolate lying around. Cocoa / chocolate contains theobromine, a compound that is a cardiac stimulant and a diuretic, and can cause death in us dogs. If gluttony gets the best of you, and you do consume chocolate (or cocoa mulch in the garden), your owner will need to take you immediately to the emergency room or your vet. You might not have an immediate reaction but by the time you do, it could be too late. My cousin, Mackie, in fact, has suffered extensively from his lust for chocolate. His owners didn’t realize the extent of his Olympic jumping prowess, and he hopped up on a bar-high counter and pigged out on a bowl of chocolate. He had to have his stomach pumped. The nurse said it was an experience that even put her off chocolate!
Tags: hazards to dogs, plants and dogs