Poinsettia Poisoning in Dogs

Poinsettia is a bright and colorful red flowering plant from the Euphorbiaceae family. The stems and leaves of these popular holiday plants contain saponins, a milky substance similar to latex, which can cause irritation to dogs. Poinsettias are widely thought to be highly toxic to dogs; however, they're only mildly poisonous. 

Poinsettia poisoning in dogs occurs when dogs consume all or part of the poinsettia plant. Read on to learn the symptoms and treatments of poinsettia poisoning and how you can prevent it.

While several symptoms may present themselves, poinsettia poisoning in dogs is very rarely serious or fatal. Symptoms may include:

• Drooling
• Licking lips
• Skin irritation
• Eye irritation
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting

Types

The poinsettia plant is often called a variety of names. If you have a decorative plant in your home for the holidays, it's important to know the type and any other name it may go by. Other names for poinsettia include:

• Christmas flower
• Christmas star
• Mexican flame leaf
• Painted leaf
• Lobster plant
• Étoile de Noël
• Flor de Pascua

The cause of poinsettia poisoning is the ingestion of the leaves of the stems of the plant. A dog would need ingest a large amount of poinsettia, almost an entire plant, to reach the highest levels of toxicity.

Poinsettias contain chemicals called diterpenoid euphorbol esters, along with the milky saponins, which can cause mild external irritation and gastrointestinal issues to dogs.

Poinsettia poisoning rarely requires veterinary treatment unless symptoms are persistent and severe. That said, you should contact your vet for advice as a precaution. Take your dog to the vet as soon as possible if they're showing severe and persistent signs of poinsettia poisoning.

You should take a part of the poinsettia plant to the vet with you for easy diagnosis. You should also inform your vet of how much of the poinsettia plant your dog ate. Your vet may induce vomiting to purge the poinsettia from the dog's system. 

In severe cases in which the dog isn't recovering, your vet may administer blood tests and urinalysis, as well as run allergy tests. If your dog has any eye or skin irritation, your vet may wash the area and apply a topical solution. 

Treatment of poinsettia poisoning depends on the level of toxicity. Poinsettias have a reputation for being deadly, and this is rarely the case even if a dog ingests a large quantity of the plant. Treatment methods may include:

Decontamination

The sap from poinsettia is quite irritating to a dog's eyes, nose, mouth, and skin. Your veterinarian will clean any sap from your dog to prevent further irritation. Your vet may also need to use ointment that will help calm down a rash caused by an allergic reaction.

Intravenous Fluids

IV fluids may be given to keep the dog hydrated, especially if they've been vomiting or suffering from diarrhea. IV fluids also encourage urination and proper kidney function. These fluids also help with the stabilization of proteins and enzymes. 

Induced Vomiting

Inducing vomiting will help to eliminate the toxic contents of the stomach. Vomiting may also be followed by the administration of activated charcoal. Activated charcoal is effective in absorbing toxins and treating poison.

Monitoring

The veterinarian will keep a watchful eye over your dog and observe them for any allergic reactions. An antihistamine may be used to treat an allergic reaction. Fluids will help them tremendously in their recovery. Your dog may need to stay overnight or for a few nights in order to fully recover; however, this is very rare. 

Poinsettia poisoning is rarely severe or life-threatening. The prognosis is usually good unless your dog has a reaction or ingests a large quantity of poinsettia. Once symptoms of poinsettia poisoning in your dog stop, they almost always make a full recovery. 

Your vet may recommend feeding your dog a bland diet if your dog is having a severe gastrointestinal reaction. Your vet may recommend you monitor your dog overnight and bring them back if the symptoms persist. To prevent further poisonings, remove any poinsettias from your home or put them somewhere out of your dog's reach.

Prevention is key when it comes to poisoning in dogs. To avoid high vet care expenses associated with poisoning, get pet health insurance today. The sooner you insure your pet, the more protection you’ll have from unexpected vet costs.