COMMON TOXINS
Alphabetical Order
Plants in Green
Household products in Purple

Amaryllis
Toxin: Lycorine and others.
Symptoms:

• Vomiting
  
• Depression
  
• Diarrhoea
  
• Abdominal pain
  
• Drooling
  
• Off food
  

Seek Veterinary Attention – Symptomatic care

Anti-Freeze
Toxin: Ethylene Glycol
Info: Causes kidney failure
Symptoms:

• Seen 30 minutes to 3 days after ingestion.
  
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Depression
• Poor coordination
• Seizures
• Dehydration
• Coma
• DEATH            





Seek Veterinary Attention Immediately

Aspirin
Toxin: Aspirin
Info: Toxicity may lead to liver and kidney failure
Symptoms:

• Seen as early as 4-6 hours after ingestion, and up to several days
  
• Depression
  
• Vomiting (may be with blood)
  
• Off food
  
• Weakness
  
• Faster breathing
  
• Coma
  
• DEATH
  

Seek Veterinary Attention Immediately

Autumn Crocus

Toxin: Colchicine and other alkaloids
Symptoms:

• Drooling
  
• Vomiting (may contain blood)
  
• Diarrhoea
  
• Shock
  
• Multi-organ damage
  
• Bone marrow suppression
  


Seek Veterinary Attention Immediately

Azalea/Rhododendron
Toxin: Grayantoxin
Info: Severe poisoning could ultimately lead to coma and death from cardiovascular collapse
Symptoms:

• vomiting,
  
• drooling
  
• diarrhoea
  
• weakness
  
• loss of coordination
  
• depression of the central nervous system.
  

Seek Veterinary Attention – Symptomatic Care

Chewing Gum (Sugar Free)
Toxin: Xylitol
Symptoms:

• Seen within 30 minutes and up to 12 hours
  
• Vomiting
  
• Depression
  
• Difficulty walking
  
• Seizures
  
• Liver failure
  

Seek Veterinary Attention Immediately

Chocolate
Toxin: Theobromine & Caffeine
Info: The more cocoa that is in the chocolate the more toxic it will be. 
Cooking chocolate is seven times more toxic than milk chocolate
Symptoms:

• Seen within hours of ingestion
• Excitability
•  Increased heart rate
• Tremors or shaking
•  Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Seizures
• DEATH

USE THE CHOCOLATE TOXICITY CALCULATOR

Seek Veterinary Attention Immediately

Chrysanthemum
Toxin: Pyrethrins
Symptoms: 

• drooling
  
• vomiting
  
• diarrhoea
  
• loss of coordination
  

Seek Veterinary Attention – Symptomatic Care

Cigarettes
Toxin: Nicotine
Symptoms:

• Usually within 15-45 minutes of ingestion
  
• Fast breathing
  
• Excitation
  
• Drooling
  
• Vomiting
  
• Diarrhoea
  
• Twitching
  
• Fast heart rate
  
• Collapse
  
• Coma 
  
• DEATH
  

·          

Seek Veterinary Attention Immediately


Cyclamen
Toxin: Terpenoid saponins  (cyclamine).
Info: All parts of the plant are toxic, however the highest concentration of the toxin is in the root portion.
Symptoms:

• Gastrointestinal irritation
  
• intense vomiting
  
• drooling 
  
• diarrhoea. 
  
• Fatalities have also been reported due to heart rhythm abnormalities 
  
• seizures. 
  

Seek Veterinary Attention Immediately


English Ivy
Toxin: Triterpenoid saponins (hederagenin).
Info: There is a higher concentration of the toxin in the leaves than the berries.
Symptoms:

• Vomiting
  
• Abdominal pain
  
• Drooling
  
• Diarrhoea
  

Seek Veterinary Attention – Symptomatic care

Flea/Tick control products
Toxin: Various

• Carbamate
  
• Organophosphate
  
• Pyrethroids
  

Info: Cats are especially sensitive
Symptoms:

• Difficulty breathing
  
• Drooling
  
• Vomiting
  
• Tremors
  
• Seizures
  
•  Weakness
  
•  DEATH
  

Seek Veterinary Attention Immediately


Grapes, Raisins & Sultanas
Toxin: Unknown toxic compound
Info: An unknown toxin causes kidney failure in dogs
Symptoms:

• Depression
  
• Vomiting
  
• Pain
  
• Diarrhoea
  
• Off food
  
• Increased drinking
  
•  Increased urination
  

Seek Veterinary Attention Immediately

Kalanchoe
Toxin: 

• Bufadienolide cardiac 
  
• glycosides
  

Symptoms:

• gastrointestinal irritation
  
• vomiting
  
• diarrhoea
  
• abnormal heart rhythm and rate (can cause death)
  

Seek Veterinary Attention – Symptomatic Care

Lilies
Toxin: Unknown toxic compound
Info: The entire plant is toxic.  Cats are exceptionally susceptible to toxicity
Symptoms:

• Vomiting
  
• Kidney failure
  
• Off food
  
• Depression
  
• No urination
  

Seek Veterinary Attention Immediately

Marijuana
Toxin: Delta-9-THC
Info: Ingestion of Cannabis sativa by companion animals can result in depression of the central nervous system .
Symptoms:

• In-coordination
  
• Drowsiness
  
• Excitation
  
• Vomiting 
  
• Diarrhoea
  
• Increased heart rate
  
• Seizures
  
• Coma
  

Seek Veterinary Attention – Symptomatic care

Mothballs
Toxin: Napthalene
Info: Severe toxicity can cause liver and kidney failure
Symptoms:

• Vomiting
  
• Pale gums
  
• Fast heart rate
  
• Fast breathing
  
• Depression
  
• Weakness
  
• Blood in urine
  
•  Seizures
  


Seek Veterinary Attention Immediately

Tulip/Narcissus Bulbs
Toxin: Tulipalin A and B
Info: The bulb portions of Tulipa/Narcissus pp. contain the highest portions of the toxins.
Symptoms:

• Intense gastrointestinal irritation
  
• Drooling
  
• Loss of appetite
  
• Vomiting
  
• Diarrhoea
  
• Depression of the central nervous system, 
  
• convulsions 
  
• cardiac abnormalities.
  

Seek Veterinary Attention – Symptomatic Care

Oleander
Toxin: Cardiac glycosides
Info: All parts of Nerium oleander are toxic.
Symptoms

• gastrointestinal tract irritation 
  
• drooling
  
• vomiting
  
• diarrhoea (may be bloody)
  
• loss of coordination
  
• shallow breathing
  
• muscle tremors
  
• hypothermia 
  
• death from abnormal heart function. 
  


Seek Veterinary Attention Immediately

Onion & Garlic
Toxin: Disulfides
Info: Damage red blood cells
Symptoms:

• Seen within 24 hours or up to several days after ingestion.
  
• Pale gums
  
• Increased heart rate
  
• Depression or lethargy
  
• Weakness
  
• Red coloured urine
  
• Vomiting (may be with blood)
  
• Diarrhoea (may be with blood)
  

Seek Veterinary Attention – supportive Care

Paracetamol
Toxin: Paracetamol
Info: Cats are more sensitive than dogs
Symptoms:

• Blue coloured gums
  
• Breathing difficulty
  
• Facial swelling
  
• Depression
  
• Vomiting
  
• Weakness
  
• Coma
  
• DEATH
  

Seek Veterinary Attention Immediately

Peace Lily/Pothos/Schefflera
Toxin: Insoluble calcium oxalates
Info: If chewed or ingested, can cause significant irritation of the mouth.
Symptoms:
Significant oral irritation
Drooling
Vomiting
Difficulty swallowing




Seek Veterinary Attention – Symptomatic Care

Rat Poisons
Toxin: 
Various - 

• Brodifacoums
  
• bromadiolones
  
• diphacinones
  
• diphenadions
  
• chlorphacinones
  
• volones
  
• pidones
  
• warfarin
  
• coumarin
  

Symptoms:

• Seen 1 to 7 days after ingestion
  
• Off food
  
• Coughing
  
• Depression
  
• Weakness
  
• Pale gums
  
• Black tarry stools
  
• Bloody nose
  
• Vomiting blood
  
• Urinating blood
  
• Blood from gums
  
• Difficulty breathing
  

Seek Veterinary Attention Immediately

Sago Palm
Toxin: Cycasin
Info: All parts of Cycas Revoluta are poisonous, but the seeds or “nuts” contain the largest amount of toxin. The ingestion of just one or two seeds can result in very serious effects.
Symptoms:

• Vomiting
  
• Diarrhoea
  
• Black or bloody stools
  
• Bruising
  
• Yellow colour to skin
  
• Seizures
  
• Liver failure
  

Seek Veterinary Attention Immediately

Snail Pellets
Toxin: Various 

• Methaldehyde
  
• Methiocarb 
  
• Iron EDTA
  

Symptoms

• Depression 
  
• Drooling
  
• Incoordination
  
• Weakness
  
• Vomiting (may contain blood) 
  
• Diarrhoea (may be black or bloody)
  
• Fast heart rate
  
• Fast breathing
  
• Tremors 
  
• Seizures
  
• Coma
  
• DEATH
  

Seek Veterinary Attention Immediately

Yeast Dough
Toxin: Ethanol
Info: Heat causes the dough to expand in the stomach and the process produces alcohol
Symptoms:

• Abdominal pain
  
• Bloating 
  
• Difficulty walking
  
• Depression
  
• Coma
  
• DEATH
  

Seek Veterinary Attention Immediately

Yew
Toxin: Taxine
Symptoms

• Sudden death
  
• Vomiting
  
• Muscle tremor
  
• Un-coordination
  
• Abnormal breathing
  
• Seizures
  


Seek Veterinary Attention Immediately