Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow Poisoning in Dogs

Although the yesterday, today and tomorrow plant (Brunfelsia pauciflora) is a native of Brazil, it has been cultivated to flourish in the United States, and is becoming a common cause of poisoning in dogs. The whole plant is toxic, but the berries contain the highest concentration of the toxins and they are the most tempting to dogs. The yesterday, today and tomorrow plant is an ornamental flowering shrub that grows to almost eight feet tall and five feet wide. The evergreen leaves are leather-like and the flowers change in color from a deep purple to white over several days, which is why it got the name yesterday, today and tomorrow plant. The toxins in the this shrub cause cardiac, neurological, and intestinal symptoms that are similar to strychnine poisoning.

The yesterday, today and tomorrow plant is a flowering shrub or bush that is very toxic to animals and small children. There are three different toxins in the yesterday, today and tomorrow plant: brunfelsamidine, which causes central nervous system effects, such as seizures; hopeanine, a nerve depressant that produces weakness and paralysis; and gelseminic acid, which relaxes the arteries enough to cause a dangerous decrease in blood pressure. Each of these toxins are dangerous on their own, but the three of them together can be quickly fatal, so it is essential to get your dog to a veterinary professional as soon as possible. However, the most dangerous problem with the yesterday, today and tomorrow plant is that signs of poisoning do not show up for 12 to 15 hours making it hard to diagnose.

Symptoms of yesterday, today and tomorrow plant poisoning vary depending on the part of the plant and amount that was consumed. Unfortunately, the symptoms can be delayed more than 12 hours, so the cause of the symptoms may not be recognized as a poisoning. Some of the most often reported signs of yesterday, today and tomorrow plant poisoning are:

• Agitation in addition to:
• Anxious behavior
• Apprehension or fear
• Coordination problems
• Death
• Decreased functioning of arms and legs
• Difficulty breathing
• Drooling
• Excitation
• Fever
• Gagging
• Jaw tightness
• Jumpiness
• Muscle tremors
• Painful muscle spasms
• Restlessness
• Retching
• Respiratory failure
• Rigid arms and legs
• Seizures
• Tremors
• Uncontrollable arching of the neck and back
• Vomiting
• Kidney damage including:
• Back pain
• Blood in urine
• Dark urine
• Depression
• Excessive thirst
• Extreme sleepiness
• Fever
• Frequent urination
• Loss of appetite
• Swollen abdomen due to fluid retention
• Vomiting
• Liver damage including:
• Dark urine
• Diarrhea
• Excessive urination
• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• Seizures
• Swollen abdomen due to fluid retention
• Vomiting
• Yellow skin, mucous membranes, and whites of the eyes (jaundice)

Types

The scientific name for the yesterday, today and tomorrow plant  is Brunfelsia pauciflora.from the order of the solanales in the solanaceae family. There are many names and kinds of Brunfelsia plants in the same group as the yesterday, today and tomorrow plant which are:

• Brazil rain tree
• Serpentine Hill rain tree
• Cuban rain tree
• Puerto Rican raintree
• Franciscan rain ree
• Kiss-Me-Quick
• Lady-of-the-Night
• Morning-Noon-and-Night
• Noon and night plant

There are three toxins in the yesterday, today and tomorrow plant that are poisonous to dogs.

• Brunfelsamidine, which is a neurotoxin similar to strychnine that causes serious central nervous system side effects
• Gelseminic acid proposed to relax the arteries and drop the blood pressure and heart rate
• Hopeanine, a nerve depressant that may contribute to paralysis or weakness

Bring a portion of the yesterday, today, tomorrow plant with you to the veterinarian to help aid in diagnosis. When you arrive, the team will perform a physical examination, including overall condition, heart rate, breath sounds, respiratory rate, blood pressure, body temperature, weight, reflexes, and oxygen levels. Be sure to give the veterinarian all the details about the incident, such as how much and what part of the plant your dog ate. You should also tell the veterinarian about your dog’s health history, vaccination records, unusual behavior, or appetite changes. 

Laboratory tests will be done next, including biochemical profile, complete blood count, urinalysis, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), electrolyte and glucose levels. To check if your dog is dehydrated, a packed cell volume (PCV) test will probably be done. An endoscopy could also be performed to view the esophagus and remove any plant material. This procedure is done using an endoscope, which is a long, flexible tube with a camera on the end. Your dog will most likely be anesthetized during the procedure. An electrocardiogram (ECG) is sometimes performed to measure the electrical and muscular performance of the heart. Imaging done with x-ray, CT scan, MRI, and ultrasound may also be necessary.

Treatment will depend on how much your dog ate and what symptoms he is showing. Early decontamination can help reduce the symptoms, so the veterinarian will induce vomiting with a hydrogen peroxide medication. Also, activated charcoal is recommended if it has been less than three hours since ingestion. Depending on the electrolyte levels and PCV results, theveterinarian may need to give your dog IV fluids. This helps flush the toxins from your dog’s body as well as rehydrates the system. Gastric lavage can be done to further empty the stomach of any toxins left in your dog’s system. Other supportive therapy may be administered depending on your dog’s needs.

If your dog is treated within the first 18 hours and there have been no renal system symptoms, the prognosis is good. If you have any questions or concerns, call your veterinarian. To prevent this from happening again, it is best to get rid of any yesterday, today and tomorrow plants you may have outside your home. Even the most well trained dog may let his natural digging and exploring tendencies once again put him in the path of a plant that will cause toxicities.