Plant one here
There’s a neat story in this week’s Home & Garden section about the yearly poinsettia sale at Oklahoma State University’s campus in Oklahoma City. It included the statement that poinsettias aren’t toxic to humans, as is commonly thought.
I wondered if it was safe for pets too. I’d like to get some plants this year but have three dogs and a cat, all known to sample a leafy lunch.
According to Dr. Sandra Morgan, an associate professor at OSU’s veterinary school, the pretty holiday plants have gotten a bad rap over the years.
“Like any plant, if a dog or cat eats too much of it, it will get ill,” she said. She warned that mistletoe is far more toxic to animals than poinsettias.
That’s good news for my pets — and my holiday decor. Not such good news for my husband, who won’t be getting any kisses under the mistletoe.
Susan Simpson, Education Writer
Rabid Response
Did you know that 55,000 people die every year from rabies, a disease that is 100 percent preventable?
The majority of victims are children that live in poverty, often in undeveloped countries.
Two Oklahoma State University students, Alex Glover and Jennifer Moreno, aim to help prevent the deaths by raising money with a 5K Race for Rabies at 8 a.m. Sept. 8 at Boomer Lake in Stillwater.
The entry fee is $20 and includes a T-shirt. And dogs can even join their owners, provided they have current proof of rabies vaccination.
The proceeds will go to the Alliance for Rabies Control. Also OSU veterinary students will be eligible to win a symposium by international rabies experts and can apply for a two-week internship at a field site in Africa.
For more information, contact Moreno at jennifer.moreno@okstate.edu
