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I am forwarding this from a Best Friends forum, as it has info and links on
poisonous plants, which has been a thread on this list.
Michelle
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I know a lot of plants and foods are listed as potentially poisonous. But I have known animals to eat a small amount of those poisonous substances, without seeming to suffer any ill effects. For example, my pets regularly nibble on geranium leaves, which are supposedly poisonous, and they seem to be fine. Are they doing themselves gradual damage, as with arsenic for humans? Are there some consistent warning signs to look for before panicking and rushing my friends to the animal hospital every time they get a taste of something potentially dangerous?"
Response from Dr Sharon Gwaltney-Brant:
Actually, it may surprise you to know that some scientists think that arsenic may be an essential trace element. As with anything in toxicology, the dose is what determines the poison. Geraniums are not considered especially toxic, though they could cause some mild digestive upset (e.g. vomiting, diarrhea) if enough were eaten. When your pets eat something they shouldn't, it's always a good idea to check with your veterinarian as to whether that particular exposure is going to be a problem. There are also helpful hints on the web page of the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (www.apcc.aspca.org), as well as lists of toxic plants, non-toxic plants and an interactive tool to help you keep your pet safe from poisons in the home.
Response from Dr Andrea Oncken:
A certain amount of a substance has to be ingested in order for it to reach “toxic levels” in the body. For several toxins, this actual level has been quantified and even separated out into “minimal toxic dose”, “lethal dose”, and several doses of varying degrees in between these two extremes. Many toxins, however, appear to be more toxic to some individuals than to others, and often there is no way of knowing which animals will be affected until they ingest the toxin. Also many animals will have concurrent conditions that will predispose them to certain toxins more than “normal” animals (i.e. old age, young age, liver disease, kidney disease, gastrointestinal disease, etc.).Most toxins do not build up in the body after ingestion. They have a clearance rate, and, depending on how they are cleared from the body and the health of that animal, some are cleared more quickly than others. Therefore, if an animal ingests more of the same toxin before the previous ingested toxin is cleared, the levels may build up, bringing it closer to a “toxic level”. However, if the toxin is fully cleared, repeated ingestions will not build up and cause later damage. The exception is if a sufficient level of a certain toxin is ingested to cause mild to moderate organ damage but not severe enough to cause clinical signs. If that toxin is again ingested in the future and that damage has not been repaired, chronic exposure can eventually lead to serious organ damage. This is a rare event and only holds true for a few toxins.
As for symptoms to watch for, since different toxins can cause extremely different symptoms, any “abnormal” behavior that follows possible ingestion of a toxin should be taken seriously. On the other hand, with the more deadly toxins, such as antifreeze, you should not wait to see if there are symptoms before taking you pet in to the veterinarian. My best advice is that if you are ever in doubt, call your local veterinarian or emergency hospital to seek advice on whether your pet should seek veterinary attention immediately.
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