Poinsettia
(Gold Coast, Australia)
12/05/2012
Poinsettia can be listed as toxic but it is a low toxicity plant. Your pet can be affected either by contact or by consumption. If your pet has regular contact with the poinsettia symptoms such as eye irritation, conjunctivitis and eye ulceration can be seen. Skin disorders such as dermatitis, skin irritation and blisters can also become evident. If ingested it can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain. Even though it can cause problems in your pet, it is a low toxicity plant as the symptoms are usually quite mild in the sense they can not cause organ damage or death (although they can still be quite distressing).
Poison Ivy
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WARNING!
One day I was bathing her & I noticed that I had a small patch of poison ivy on my arm. Then it hit me - - she had poison ivy. We have always been told that dogs cannot get poison ivy, but I decided to do a little more research. Almost every site out there will tell you that dogs cannot get it; therefore, there are no remedies for it. I finally found one site that said, "yes, dogs can get poison ivy if the oils get past the fur. " This is why she had most of it on her stomach, where there is little hair. When she scratched, it moved the oils to other parts of her body. My husband & I swear by Burt's Bees Poison Ivy soap(you can find it at WFM). I immediately washed her with this soap, and you can tell she felt better. I washed the affected areas once or twice a day, and her poison ivy went away. Now, it has recently come back because we still have poison ivy in our yard, but now I can nip it in the bud before it gets bad. YES, your dog CAN get poison ivy!
(Mantua, Ohio)
04/27/2013
(Ohio)
02/14/2014
(Bay Area, Ca)
04/10/2014
I found your story helpful as well as the replies from others experiencing K-9 poison oak. Two days ago, I was enjoying some spring time hiking through the woods with my dog and there was plenty of low growing freshly leafed out p/o. My 7yo Staffy Bullterrier now has many little red bumps all over his stomach and a couple where his skin is exposed in his arm (or should I say, leg) pits.
As a person who can get it, I have found the most effective and satisfying way to speed along the healing process, is a good p/o soap such as Burt's Bees, or Fels Naptha which has been around since I was a kid, at first.. but after a couple days, or when the rash turns into small pimple looking bumps I treat it with a most satisfying method:
Take a small face cloth type towel and saturate a portion of it with hydrogen peroxide and proceed to do the unthinkable - Yes, scratch it with the soaked towel until the little bumps turn white. This can be done more than once, if some of the rash did not turn white with the tiny disinfecting bubbles. It is incredibly effective at drying up the rash and preventing the spread of the oils. IMPORTANT -- As a footnote, do not use the peroxide method immediately after getting p/o, before it has turned into distinct little bumps.. you WILL end up spreading it.
I will be trying this on my little friend and will report back with the results. Hope this is helpful as there is much discomfort when having P/O!
Reader Feedback
EC: Is it a Cyperus alternifolius (aka Umbrella Palm)? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyperus_alternifolius
Reader Feedback
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WARNING!
EC: Good point. Unfortunately, that list was compiled a few years ago by a writer in Canada. We'll try to find out Dawn's resources.
Reader Feedback
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Remedies to Cure Poisoning in Dogs
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Remedies to Cure Poisoning in Dogs
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Tea Tree Oil
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WARNING!
(Mpls., Mn)
04/16/2014
Hey Hannidan! I have heard about issues with tea tree oil and cats before - yet I found myself confused because I have worked with a vet who specializes in using both arisolized and topical applications of essential oils on pets. The main thing is the quality of the oil; if it is not veterinary grade or human grade, then you should not use it on your pet. "What I recommend when considering essential oil use for cats is to choose oils that are used often, have been used in many cats, and to use them with techniques that cats enjoy. Tea Tree Oil, or Melaleuca alternifolia, is another feline controversy which fascinates me. I have directly communicated with people who have sadly exposed their cat to a poor grade Melaleuca oil, resulting in subsequent seizures and death. Conversely, I have met many cats and have witnessed firsthand a cat receiving 4 drops of Melaleuca oil orally twice a day, followed with blood work, and showing no ill events. I do not necessarily endorse the use of Melaleuca with cats, as there are many other essential oils that can be used in place of this particular oil." Source: http://www.animaleo.info/cats.html
(Ma., US)
12/29/2014
Animals are known to have very close DNA as humans do, therefore I'm thinking that maybe the cat that died already was sick or other, and the one cat that tolerated the oil may have been healthy.
Sad to say I have adopted an older cat, the experiment via science consisted of testing her with Chlamydia. She is always upset and vomiting, what she does is go out and eat grass, it's a natural remedy for all animals. I cannot imagine any animal being locked up in a house 24/7 with-out having what is called a natural solution for pets that are sick and know what they need/want and cannot get it. I usually bring it in to my pets.
I have yet another rescue; she was a dumpster diver when I adopted her. I give her canned cat food and she throws it up, so I have resided to steaming chicken and giving her a little at a time, three times a day. I add Ester-C to her food once a month and so far and hopefully she is really doing well. With fingers crossed.
Tea Tree Oil
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EC: Odd, we have used Tea Tree oil on our dogs for minor skin irritations many times for years without any issues or side effects.
(Penang, Malaysia)
09/15/2009
(Lake Panasoffkee, Florida)
02/12/2010
I have used tea tree oil to treat both myself and my Labrador for years. The oil has always been diluted approximately 1/4 ounce to 4 to 5 ounces of water for use on the dog to treat skin irritations. It worked, relieving itching, scaling and allowing hair to grow back. I usually apply the oil full strength to my skin for insect bites and cuts. To date, I have not had any reactions.
I personally use tea tree oil shampoo with no problems. I have bathed the Lab with tea tree shampoo (dog version)with no problems.
I did use tea tree shampoo on another dog and found that it did seem to irritate and redden her skin, particularly the underbelly area, and caused her to scratch until she broke the skin. But, then, this dog is extremely sensitive and reacts even to Oatmeal shampoo.
Have never used tea tree oil on cats and never will, simply because cats tend to lick their fur and I don't think ingesting the oil is a good idea.
Tea Tree Oil
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WARNING!
(Stavanger, Norway)
04/27/2009
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WARNING!
Tea Tree Oil is an absolute no-no for cats. And Pointsettia should be upgraded to extremely dangerous: our cat was on a drip for two days following ingestion of a small bit of dried up leaf. Apparently grapes (and raisins) are also deadly - we once had a cat who was passionate about fruit cake! This last info comes from FAB - the British charity dedicated to Feline welfare (fabcats.co.uk) where you will find lots of useful information on 'cat management' - and poisons.
(Leeds, England)
03/04/2010
We have used tea tree oil as a topical application to treat wounds and to bathe our cats in order to treat fleas. The tea tree oil has always been dilute and has never had any harmful effect on them.
On the other hand my husband who has been sensitised to it does react badly if he comes in contact with it. It might be the cats who have found it "toxic" have either been given it in its concentrated form, or like my husband have had an extreme allergic reaction.
(Pittsburgh, Pa)
12/22/2011
I find this strange that tea tree oil is toxic. I have a product called Bitter Barrier made with tea tree oil for dogs AND cats that I used to stop the cats from eating our artificial Xmas tree. I used it a lot and they actually got used to it and continued chewing on it and they never had ANY side effects??
(Indianapolis, In Indiana)
04/11/2012
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WARNING!
You may not see any symptoms but the toxicity stays in their system and builds up in their liver over time poisoning your beloved pet and then one day your cat won't eat and has become ill for no apparent reason. Please check the list of poisons before using any essential oil even on yourself. You will find out that all essential oils are poisonous to your cat.
Trumpet Vine
(Northern Calif, Usa)
09/30/2014
My 60# Staffie was vomiting every few mins throughout the night until only liquid was expelled. Clearly I had to stop the vomiting and could not afford another vet bill. Per Dr Richard Pitcairn's advise in his great book, I bought homeopathic Ipecac, crushed 3 pellets (do not touch) and put it down his throat. This stopped the vomiting within mins! He had a dry cough for days. I called and his vet said the acid and vomiting retching. I tried Hydrogen Peroxide several times but it was like water.