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sunnysideuphill

toxic to the dog?

sunnysideuphill
13 years ago

Last weekend my 8 year old mutt stopped eating and pooping, by MOnday sick from both ends and off to the vet, where nothing scary was found, and their verdict was she "must have eaten something".

Well there are several feet of snow on the ground, she gets walked twice a day, never off the lead. And no change in food, and she didn't get into the cats' litter box. It was a mystery until they asked about houseplants. I thought I was fine - a few AFrican Violets, a jade plant, a Christmas cactus, all safe I thought. Then I remembered the Christmas cyclamen, which I had carried through the house to the kitchen for a general deadheading/pot clean up. I don't remember dropping any leaves on the way. But I found a site - dogpack.com - that had lists of toxic plants, and cyclamen is on it! It is possible that one of the wilted leaves fell off, and she ate it (scarfs up lots of floor stuff - but there wasn't any chocolate in the house, and I am careful about onions.)

Anyway, there wasn't any proof, but the circumstantial evidence points that way. She is fine now, after a week of expensive food and probiotic powder to replace all the good stuff that her gut lost to the scouring out. And I am bringing that plant to my office - carefully.

Comments (4)

  • birdsnblooms
    13 years ago

    Sunny, sorry about your pooch. That's terrible. They scare us so much when sick. If only they could tell us what's bothering them.

    I have a question about onions..'IF' a dog ate an onion, would happen?
    My dogs can't stand the smell of onions. On wkends, we order out. We always get something for our two dogs. Either hot dogs or cheese burgers..my little dog won't go near his bowl if a piece of onion is inside..the larger dog sorts through his food, won't touch an onion..Even when I cook, chop an onion, both dogs back off..they hate the smell. lol

    You wouldn't believe the number of plants that can harm a pet, but it depends on the pet. My friends Cockatiel ate an entire Hedera Helix, 'Ivy' which is considered fatal to birds..it didn't bother him in the least. A similar thing happened to one of my birds. He ate an Ardisia/Corel Berry, which again is supposed to be fatal. I watched him throughout the night..he played, ate and pooped..This happened a couple years ago..he's fine.

    Check Dog, Bird and Cat Fancy magazines or online sites. They list many toxic plants..Not necessarily fatal..Some plants, when ingested can cause tummy upset.
    I think CC are on the toxic list, too.
    Many common plants sold at your local grocery store are poisonous..

    Since your girl is a living mop, 'like one of my guys,' be careful when carrying plants around, 'pick up leaves from the floor,' and place where she can't get them.

    Please don't take this the wrong way, 'since you don't recall dropping leaves from your Cyclamen,' some vets take a guess when our pups/kittens/birds get sick. If they can't find a reason, they make guesses. I've seen it and heard similiar stories. Vets are no different than people doctors. Unless an illness is obvious, they come up with questionable reasons, excuses.
    Still, better safe than sorry..
    I hope your dog is better..How is she acting? Toni

  • amccour
    13 years ago

    There are also some idiosyncratic inner ear inflammations dogs can get that cause a lot of other weird symptoms from the massive vertigo that results. They tend to have sudden onsets and sudden resolutions. Was your dog acting nervous or dizzy at all?

  • brodyjames_gw
    13 years ago

    Hi Toni,
    The reason onions are bad for dogs is this: there is a chemical compound in onions which prevents the red blood cells from picking up oxygen and moving it through the bloodstream, distributing the O2 to where it needs to go.

    And amccour, I think you are referring to Canine Peripheral Vestibular Syndrome.

    Nancy

  • sunnysideuphill
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Nope, no dizziness or strange physical behavior. Sat and Sun, the two days she wouldn't eat, she spent her time curled up in her crate except when I asked her if she wanted to go out, when she came out very eagerly, sat on command for her gentle leader to be clipped on, and walked just fine, pee'd, tried to poo, came in, drank some water, slunk back to the crate. Which was why I planned to take her in on Monday anyway, but when I woke up to find the messes, it became an urgent trip.
    She is fine now, is addicted to the Probiotic powder I'm sprinkling on her food, and is due to go back next week for routine dental trip; they will weight her in then, but I think she's already gained back a little of the weight she lost.

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