Hi everyone! With the warm weather approaching and everyone trimming plants in their yards, we thought we'd inform you of a plant that is highly toxic to dogs (and humans). A lot of people own these plants, but not many realize the dangers.
Sago palms, also called cycad palms, are very poisonous. The seeds, fruit and base are loaded with cycasin, a toxin that causes liver failure. Ingestion of just one seed may cause death in a dog. Vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, depression and neurologic signs develop within a few hours of ingestion. Abnormalities in the blood work lag behind clinical signs by about 24 hours making it hard to diagnose. Death occurs within hours to days depending upon the amount of poison ingested.
In a study of 60 dogs with sago palm toxicosis, 95% of them developed liver failure and gastrointestinal problems. Neurologic signs including posterior paresis, depression, problems with coordination called ataxia and seizures occurred in 50% of the animals studied. Unfortunately, once clinical signs occur, one third of dogs will die.
ASPCA's list of toxic plants
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