I caught my puppy chewing on the leaf of my Alocasia Polly, or African mask plant, I’ve rinsed his mouth and given him water and am monitoring for symptoms. Anything else I can do before bringing him to the vet? He only chewed on part of the leaf and probably ingested a tiny amount but I’m worried

Hello Thank you for your question. This plant has the potential to cause drooling, pawing at the face or mouth, oral pain, decreased appetite and vomiting. Continue to monitor for these signs and take your pet to a veterinarian if you see them. Good luck.

Is the sweat from the elephant ear poisonous to dogs?

Thank you for your question. I would think any part of the elephant ear would cause GI upset if enough is eaten. If your dog ate a small amount of the moisture that comes when you cut a leaf, it may be fine if it was a tiny amount. If more than a little bit was eating, or your dog is showing signs of vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, or a loss of appetite, then it would be best to seek and veterinary care. I hope that all goes well for your dog.

My puppy has had diarrhea for the past week, I just caught her digging up elephant ear bulbs. Could this be related? She is 4 months old and also teething

Hello, So sorry to hear about your dog. If she is having diarrhea, it is best to see your vet. This can be parasites or even parvo that is causing this. Chewing on the bulb can cause mild GI signs too but if she just started this may not account for the diarrhea last week. Your vet can check a fecal sample and parvo test to figure out what is going on with your dog. I hope your dog starts to feel better soon.

My 3,year old pit bull got part of a elephant ear bulb from a dormant mushy bulb that was thrown into the yard by me after I cleaned old leaves out of the pot they grow in. I noticed that he started to drool, cough, and almost throw up. I thought he was choking and immediately tried to remove anything from his mouth. There was nothing in his mouth. I have washed his mouth out with a wet wash rag and I pushed water into his mouth with a large syringe. He now seems to be kinda lethargic not his normal self but is walk at the moment in front yard. What can I do to help him. And will he recover from this. He is just like one of my children I will do what ever is necessary to help him.

Elephant ear poisoning in dogs usually results in symptoms like drooling, pawing at the mouth, swelling, vomiting and other related symptoms; rinsing out the mouth thoroughly with water is important. Keep a close eye on him for the time being but if there is difficulty breathing or swallowing due to swelling or anything else concerning visit your Veterinarian or call the Pet Poison Helpline. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/elephant-ears/

My 6 week old puppy chewed on an elephant ear leaf but he didn't swallow or ingest anything. His mouth doesn't look swollen and I rinsed it out and wiped around his face but I'm nervous especially since he's just a puppy. It just happened so he hasn't had diarrhea or vomiting but I just want to make sure he's okay.

Chewing on an elephant ear leaf usually results in oral irritation, swelling of the lips as well as vomiting and excessive salivation. If you are not noticing any symptoms keep a close eye on Gatsby, if you notice any symptoms or excessive irritation it may be worth contacting your Veterinarian to be on the safe side. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/elephant-ears/