During Christmas our home is filled with dangerous objects for pets, including the decoration, the tree itself or the typical plants of this season. Focusing on the latter, there are several Christmas plants that are toxic for cats and dogs, for this reason, our site encourages you to prevent possible poisoning by keeping it out of the reach of your animals these plants.
Don't know what they are? Next, we will show you a complete list of Christmas plants that are toxic for dogs and cats. You can't miss it, your safety is at risk!
1. Poinsettia
The poinsettia or poinsettia is one of the most gifted plants on these dates. Its intense red color and its easy maintenance make it one of the first options to decorate our house. However, as many of us know, the poinsettia is poisonous to dogs and cats. Plus, it seems to immediately appeal to our pets.
Now, why is it a toxic plant? The poinsettia's toxicity lies in the whitish liquid inside it, since the diterpenic esters that compose it are highly irritating toxins for these animals, especially for the felines. For this reason, if a cat or dog eats the Christmas plant, it will suffer irritation in all the areas that are in contact with the toxin, such as the mouth, the esophagus, etc.
For more information, don't miss this other article: "Poinsettia by poinsettia in cats".
two. Mistletoe
Mistletoe is another of the typical Christmas plants that can attract the attention of our animals due to their tiny white balls. Although its level of toxicity is not particularly high, the truth is that it can be a problem if our dog or cat ingests enoughTherefore, we will place it in a of difficult access to prevent accidents.
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) [1], this plant is toxic due to two substances: toxalbumin and viscumin faratoxin. Both are toxic to both dogs and cats, and even to horses.
3. Holly
Holly is another of the typical Christmas plants that we better keep well away from our dogs and cats. We can recognize it by its characteristic leaves and red fruit. Although the toxicity is low, it can cause more or less severe symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea in dogs and cats, as well as depression. To avoid it, it is best to be careful and avoid getting close.
According to the ASPCA [2], the saponins of the leaves and fruits are the toxic substances that can produce both gastrointestinal symptoms if they are ingested and cutaneous symptoms by contact with the skin.
4. Christmas tree (fir)
Although it may not seem like it, the typical fir we use as a Christmas tree can be dangerous for our animal. Especially in the case of dogs, it can happen that they swallow the leaves. These are very harmful as they are sharp and rigid and can pierce your intestine
The tree sap and even the water that can collect in your pot is also dangerous to your he alth. Find out how to avoid it in our article on My dog eats the Christmas tree. Similarly, fir is toxic to cats and is also very harmful. These animals also have a predilection for climbing up and trying to play with the ornaments, something that can be very dangerous if they eat them or the tree falls on them. For more details, see this other article: "How to prevent my cat from jumping on the Christmas tree?".
Other plants toxic to dogs and cats
In addition to the typical Christmas plants, there are many other plants that are also toxic to our dog or cat and it will be essential to know them before acquiring them. We recommend that you visit the following articles to learn about them:
- Toxic plants for dogs
- Toxic plants for cats
Once you know what they are, you should place them in a safe place, out of the reach of dogs and cats.
What happens if a dog or cat eats a Christmas plant?
If despite knowing the most poisonous Christmas plants for cats and dogs and placing them far from their reach, your animal has managed to reach them and has even eaten some of their parts, it is possible that present the following symptoms:
- Digestive disorders: diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain or gastritis.
- Neurological disorders: seizures, excessive salivation, or lack of coordination.
- Allergic dermatitis: itching, stinging, redness or hair loss.
- Kidney failure.
- Heart disorders.
If you observe these symptoms, you should go to the veterinary clinic as soon as possible.
In addition to taking into account plants that are toxic to dogs, our site helps you prepare for this special time of year, such as Christmas. For this reason, you will find articles that will be useful to you this holiday season:
- Christmas decorations dangerous for pets: Indeed, just as there are plants that are dangerous for cats and dogs, there are also decorations that we should avoid using. Only with the intention of preventing a possible accident in our home.
- What can I get my dog for Christmas?: If you love your pet and are thinking of an original gift, don't hesitate to visit this article to find more than 10 ideas that can excite him.
