Poinsettias v. Animals: The Ultimate Battle
Poinsettias are not poisonous to pets.
What?
Yes, you heard that right. Turns out, the legendary toxicity of poinsettias is a rumor, exaggerated beyond reason over time, according to experts at ASPCA Poison Control.
Until now, I thought poinsettias were the kiss of death for dogs, so I’ve never had them in my home. I thought they kept the same company as chocolate, onions and grapes – gangsters of gastrointestinal doom. But like a lot of folks, I had been duped.
The ASPCA says the deadly legend of the poinsettia started in early 1900s, when a 2-year-old girl allegedly died from eating a poinsettia leaf. (The truth is, according to the ASPCA, a 50-pound child would have to eat 600 poinsettia leaves to die. I’m pretty sure most kids won’t go unsupervised that long, and surely anyone who had that many poinsettias in their house is asking for trouble.)
While the plant isn’t deadly to animals, mixing poinsettias in with your dog’s food isn’t exactly a good idea either, according to the ASPCA. The most common side effects of poinsettias are indigestion and upset stomach. The solution: put the plant out of reach. If your pet does happen to sneak a snack, give a little water or milk to calm the stomach.
Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Comments
if you are not eating much fiber, then you will always get indigestion. so eat lots of dietary fibers ..,
I am unable to thank you fully for the articles on your web site. I know you place a lot of time and energy into them and truly hope you know how deeply I appreciate it. I hope I’m able to do precisely the same for someone else at some time.
you can avoid indigestion by eating high fiber foods.~*`