# Dangerous Plants



## Lory07 (Apr 12, 2006)

Pets Poisoned By Common Plant
Sago Palm Seeds Poisonous For Animals, Babies

POSTED: 11:00 am CST February 8, 2005
UPDATED: 8:32 am CST February 10, 2005

HOUSTON -- Most people would do anything for their pets, so imagine the horror of finding out a common plant found in many yards could endanger your dog, Local 2 reported Wednesday.

Video 

Popular Plants Could Be Dangerous, Deadly For Pets 

Sherra Miller has had Yorkshire Terriers for the past 30 years.

"They just steal your heart. She is more independent than any yorkie I have ever had," Miller said of her dog Abbie.

Mitch Rainey had two dachshunds when he took in Sadie.

"It was either that or she'd have been put to sleep someplace," Rainey said.

In December, both pet owners had to face their worst fears.

"I saw her playing with something outside," Miller said. "I had no idea it was something that would be dangerous or deadly, really. Within an hour, she was throwing up."

Both Abbie and Sadie had eaten seeds from a sago palm -- a hearty plant found in yards across Houston.

"My husband counted 49 sago palms in the front yards of my small street," Miller said.


The plants are perfect for hot, humid climates.

What most people are not aware of is the seeds in the center of the sago palm are deadly to animals and sometimes even small children.

"We were totally shocked because you see sago palms everywhere," Rainey said.

"I don't know why people don't know this. Even landscapers don't know this and a lot of veterinarians don't know it," veterinarian Dr. Laurie Noaker said.

Noaker is the chief of staff at the Katy Freeway Emergency Animal Hospital. She said the toxins in the seeds destroy a dog's liver.

"We have just got to get the word out because we are just tired of watching dogs die, no matter what we do," Noaker said.

"I cried a million tears in the last month," Miller said.

Abbie was one of the few dogs to survive.

"(She was) on plasma, on IVs, on all kinds of medicine just trying to save her life," Miller said.

It took thousands of dollars, and a week and a half of treatment that nearly broke the Millers' hearts.

"I don't want anybody else's pet to go through this. It is just too horrendous. It is a horrible death," Miller said.

Rainey agrees. His dog, Sadie, did not make it.

"She had laid her head on my leg and we knew she was hurting at the time," he said. "We knew then the prognosis wasn't good, but you're not ready to give her up then."

The couple had brought in their plants to avoid a freeze on Christmas Eve. That's when Sadie found the seeds.

"I contacted my brother, who is a horticulturist, who said it was extremely poisonous. We were like, 'You never told us.' He said, 'You never asked.' You wouldn't think to," Rainey said.

"Tell people if you have this plant, don't bring it in the house. And if you have it as landscaping, keep it away from the pets," Noaker said.

"It is like a plate of poison bubbling on a plate in your backyard, waiting for a little toddler or puppy to go up and take a bite," Miller said.

Abbie has a weakened liver, which can still fail. So, for now, it is a routine of daily medicines and weekly tests.

But Miller believes her dog will make it.

"She has a great life. She doesn't want to give it up," she said.

Sago palms are not the only dangerous plants out there. Lilies are especially poisonous to cats, causing kidney failure with just a nibble on the plant. The oleander can cause severe gastro-intestinal distress and possible cardiac arrest. The azalea, which is a rhododendron, can cause vomiting and cardiac problems.

Plants That Are Poisonous To Pets

Aloe Vera (Medicine Plant) 
Amaryllis 
Andromeda japonica 
Apple (Seeds) 
Apple Leaf Croton 
Asparagus Fern 
Autumn Crocus 
Avocado (fruit and pit) 
Azalea

Baby's Breath 
Bird of Paradise 
Birds nest sansovioria 
Bittersweet 
Branching Ivy 
Buckeye 
Buddhist Pine

Caladium 
Calla Lily 
Carnation 
Castor Bean 
Ceriman 
Cherry (seeds and wilting leaves) 
Chinaberry Tree (berries, bark, leaves, flowers) 
Chinese Evergreen 
Christmas Cactus 
Christmas Rose 
Chrysanthemum 
Cineraria 
Clematus 
Coleus 
Cordatum 
Corn Plant 
Cornstalk Plant 
Croton 
Cuban Laurel 
Cycads 
Cyclamen

Daffodil 
Daisy 
Day Lily (cats) 
Dracaena 
Dragon Tree 
Dumb Cane (all types) 
Dieffenbachia

Easter Lily (especially cats) 
Elaine 
Elephant Ears 
Emerald Feather 
English Ivy 
Fiddle-leaf Fig 
Flamingo Plant

Florida Beauty 
Foxglove

Geranium 
German Ivy 
Glacier Ivy 
Glory Lily 
Golden Pothos

Hahn's Self-Branching 
Heavenly Bamboo 
Hibiscus 
Holly 
Hosta 
Hurricane Plant 
Hyacinth 
Hydrangea

Indian Laurel 
Indian Rubber Plant 
Iris

Japanese Show Lily (especially cats) 
Jade Plant 
Jerusalem Cherry

Kalanchoe (Panda Bear Plant)

Lily of the Valley

Macadamia Nut 
Madagascar Dragon Tree 
Marble Queen 
Marijuana 
Miniature Croton 
Mistletoe 
Morning Glory 
Mother-in-Law's Tongue

Narcissus 
Needlepoint Ivy 
Nephthytis 
Nightshade 
Norfolk Pine

Oleander 
Onion 
Oriental Lily (especially cats)

Peace Lily 
Peach (wilting leaves and pits) 
Pencil Cactus 
Philodendron (all types) 
Plum (wilting leaves and seeds) 
Plumosa Fern

Poinsettia (low toxicity) 
Poison Ivy 
Poison Oak 
Pothos 
Precatory Bean 
Primrose (Primula)

Red Emerald 
Red Princess 
Rhododendron 
Ribbon Plant

Sago Palm 
Satin Pothos 
Schefflera 
Silver Pothos 
String of Pearls/Beads 
Sweetheart Ivy 
Swiss Cheese Plant

Taro Vine 
Tiger Lily (especially cats) 
Tomato Plant (green fruit, stem and leaves) 
Tulip

Variegated Rubber Plant 
Wandering Jew 
Weeping Fig

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow 
Yew 
Yucca


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## Piggiepi (Apr 7, 2006)

This should be stickied.. Thank you for posting.


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## Krista (Dec 29, 2005)

^ I agree, it should be. There's so many plants here, no one would remember them all.


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## MSBOOTS (May 4, 2006)

Thanks, this is very useful information. We are always concerned about house plants and Ike so we keep them up off the floor, but you never know when he might get into one.


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## Lory07 (Apr 12, 2006)

Exactly! Especially since Lola is like a miniature vacuum cleaner sucking up anything that comes her way!!


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## Sam85 (Jan 5, 2006)

strange mylo sometimes eats daisys when were out, and they are on the list!!


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## dolly'sgrandma (Nov 8, 2005)

I wanted to bump up this list for the holidays. I had to bring my potted plants inside for the winter and I needed to double-check what I could have around Dolly, the plant-eater. It's a good reminder to us all!


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## Alisha (Mar 11, 2005)

Yeh I think so


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## Constance (Feb 3, 2008)

That is a lot of dangerous plants there and it is fantastic to be educated about them as I would never know that they were a threat before.


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## Chili-mom (Sep 7, 2008)

Thanks for the info on the plants. I knew about some of them but some are a supprise:shock:. I have about six of those in my house right now The older dogs don't bother them but when i get the Chi I will have to get them out of reach. Think I'll take some of them downtown to my office and try to get the rest up off the floor.


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