Content
- What is the Christmas plant?
- How the Christmas Plant Affects Your Dog
- what are the symptoms
- How should you help your dog
The Christmas season is a favorite of many, not only for the delicious food, the gifts and the flashy lighting, but the spirit of brotherhood and peace that characterizes this celebration can be truly comforting.
At PeritoAnimal we know that if you have a dog at home, you will certainly enjoy the joy you breathe during these parties, in which you will have the opportunity to be in contact with a different environment and even meet new family members to play with. However, not everything is fun. There are some risks, related to typical elements of Christmas, that can put our little friend in danger. One of the most common and most striking for dogs is the traditional Christmas plant, which is on the list of poisonous plants for dogs. So we want to talk to you about the first aid if your dog ate the Christmas plant. Find out what you must do to be well informed and prevent the problem from getting worse.
What is the Christmas plant?
The Christmas or Poinsettia plant. scientific-named Euphorbia pulcherrima, it is a plant that is a common decoration during the Christmas season, thanks to the showy bright red that gives color to its leaves.
Poinsettia is harmless to humans, but is dangerous for some pets, like dogs and cats. Its danger lies in the fact that the plant has some properties that are toxic to animals, so you need to be careful with your dog if you have decided to have one of these Christmas plants in your home.
How the Christmas Plant Affects Your Dog
There are several ways in which your puppy can suffer the harmful effects of the Christmas plant. One of them is ingestion, since your puppy's curiosity can lead him to nibble the plant and even eat some parts of it. When this happens, the sap it contains irritates the entire oral cavity and can affect the stomach and esophagus.
Your puppy can also be affected if his skin, fur or eyes come into contact with the plant, such as when he rubs against it or comes close to sniff it. The consequences can be even worse if the dog has a skin wound, which favors the rapid absorption of toxins. This contact with the skin and eyes can cause diseases such as keratitis and canine conjunctivitis.
Despite the uncomfortable effects, which must be attended to immediately, the Christmas plant it's not deadly to dogs, although it is capable of causing death in other species, such as cats.
what are the symptoms
If your dog ate the Christmas plant and, therefore, suffered intoxication by ingestion or contact with the Christmas plant, will present the following signs:
- vomiting
- Diarrhea
- hypersalivation
- Fatigue
- tremors
- skin irritation
- Itch
- Blisters (when the dose ingested is high or exposure has been prolonged)
- Dehydration
How should you help your dog
If you suspect that your dog is suffering from poisoning or an allergy as a result of contact with the Christmas plant, the first thing you should do is to remain calm and make sure the plant is to blame for the symptoms that the dog is having. How to do this? Very easy: take a look at your plant to find out if any branches or leaves are missing, and you may even find bites if your puppy has tried to eat it. If it is poisoning from skin contact, you will need to determine if your puppy has had access to the Christmas plant.
When you are sure of this, it is time to act following our advice:
- Although the effect on dogs is not lethal, the animal must be treated in the same way. For this, we recommend that induce vomiting when in fact there has been ingestion of the plant. In this way, you will eliminate part of the toxic agent from the animal's body while going to the veterinarian.
- If your puppy has exposed its skin and eyes to the plant's effects, it should wash with plenty of fresh water the affected region, and consult your veterinarian about possible drugs that the dog may need, such as anti-allergy, eye drops or antiseptic formulas.
- To combat dehydration, give your puppy water to drink and never self-medicate, only the veterinary professional is able to determine which medications are most suitable.
Faced with intoxication with the Christmas plant, a veterinary examination will be necessary to assess the functioning of the dog's kidneys, to rule out possible complications. In addition, we always recommend that you always have medicine at home that you can give your dog in case of intoxication, previously authorized by the specialist, because the faster you act, the better it will be for your big-eyed friend.
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.