[June]

POISONING
GENERAL INFORMATION

A poison is any substance harmful to the body. Cats by nature are curious and have a tendency to hunt small game or explore out-of-the-way places such as wood piles, weed thickets and storage ports. These environments put them into contact with insects, dead animals and toxic plants. It also means that in many cases of suspected poisoning the actual agent will be unknown. The great variety of potentially poisonous plants and shrubs makes identification difficult or impossible unless the owner has direct knowledge that the cat has eaten a certain plant or product. Most cases suspected of being malicious poisoning actually are not.

In some types of vegetation only certain parts of the plant are toxic. In others, all parts are poisonous. Ingestion causes a wide range of symptoms. They include: mouth irritation; drooling; vomiting; diarrhea; hallucinations; seizures; coma; and death. Other plant substances cause skin rash. Some toxic plants have specific pharmacological actions that are used in medicines.

Tables of toxic plants, shrubs and trees are included for reference. This list is a collection of common toxic plants. It is not a list of all poisonous plants.

POISONOUS HOUSEPLANTS

A. TOXIC HOUSEPLANTS may cause a rash after contact with the skin or mouth:

Chrysanthemum Weeping fig
Creeping fig Poinsettia

B. IRRITATING PLANTS, some of which contain oxalic acid that causes mouth swelling; and occasionally may cause generalized toxicity such as staggering and collapse:

Arrowhead vine Malanga
Boston ivy Marble queen
Caladium Mother-in-law plant (snake plant)
Calla or Arum lily Neththyis
Dumbcane Parlor ivy
Elephant's ear Pothos or Devil's lily
Emerald duke Peace lily
Heart leaf Red princess (philodendron)
Jack-in-the-pulpit Saddle leaf (philodendron)
Majesty Split leaf (philodendron)


C. TOXIC PLANTS may contain a wide variety of poisons. Most cause vomiting, abdominal pain, cramps. Some cause tremors, heart and respiratory or kidney problems, which are difficult for an owner to interpret:

Amaryllis Ivy
Asparagus fern Jerusalem cherry
Azalea Needlepoint ivy
Bird of paradise Pot mum
Creeping charlie Ripple ivy
Crown of thorns Spider mum
Elephant ears Sprangeri fern
Glocal ivy Umbrella plant
Heart ivy

OUTDOOR PLANTS WITH TOXIC EFFECTS

A. OUTDOOR PLANTS that produce vomiting and diarrhea in some cases:

Delphinium Skunk cabbage Larkspur
Daffodil Poke weed Indian tobacco
Castor bean Bittersweet woody Wisteria
Indian turnip Ground cherry Soap berry
Fox glove

B. TREES AND SHRUBS that are poisonous and may produce vomiting, abdominal pain and in some cases diarrhea:

Azalea Western yew Wild cherry (rhododendron)
Horse chestnut Privet Balsam pear
Buckeye Mock orange Black locust
Rain tree Bird of paradise bush English Yew
Monkey pod Apricot, almond English holly
American yew Peach cherry Japanese plum

C. OUTDOOR PLANTS with varied toxic effects:

Rhubarb Buttercup Moonseed
Spinach Nightshade May apple
Sunburned potatoes Poison hemlock Dutchman's breeches
Loco weed Pig weed Angel's trumpet
Lupine Water hemlock Jasmine
Dologeton Mushrooms Matrimony vine


D. HALLUCINOGENS:

Marijuana Nutmeg Peyote
Morning glory Periwinkle Loco weed

E. CONVULSIONS:

China berry Moonweed Water hemlock
Coriaria Nux vomica

TREATING FOR CONTACT WITH TOXINS OR POISONS

If you think your cat may have been poisoned, first try to identify the poison. Most products containing chemicals are labeled for identification. Read the label. If this does not give you a clue to the plant's possible toxicity, call the emergency room of your local hospital and ask for information from the Poison Control Center.

The most important step in treatment is to eliminate the poison from your cat's stomach by making the cat vomit. In certain cases, induction of vomiting is contraindicated. For more information, see How to Induce Vomiting earlier in this chapter.

HOW TO DELAY OR PREVENT ABSORPTION

Activated charcoal is used to coat the bowel and delay or prevent absorption. In most cases it is difficult to administer activated charcoal to a cat without first placing a stomach tube. Mix one part activated charcoal to six parts cold water. Give four to eight teaspoons. Follow 30 minutes later with Milk of Magnesia, 1/2 teaspoon per five pounds body weight. Placing a stomach tube in a cat is not without risk. The best advice for a severely ill cat is to induce vomiting and then proceed directly to the nearest veterinary facility.

In the less severely ill cat, coat the bowel with milk, egg whites or vegetable oil. The dose of vegetable oil is two teaspoons for the average-sized cat. It should be added to the feed, but not force-fed by mouth because this could lead to aspiration pneumonia.

If your cat has a poisonous substance on the skin or coat, flush the area with copious amounts of water for five minutes. Wearing gloves, give the cat a complete bath in lukewarm, not cold, water, as described in the SKIN chapter. Even if not irritating the skin, the substance should be removed. Otherwise, the cat may lick it off and swallow it. Soak gasoline and oil stains with mineral or vegetable oil (do not use paint thinner or turpentine). Work in well. Then wash with a mild soap. Rub in cornstarch or flour.

A cat beginning to show signs of nervous system involvement is in deep trouble. At this point, get your cat to a veterinarian as quickly as possible. Try to bring a sample of vomitus, or better yet the actual poison in the original container. Do not delay to administer first aid. If the cat is convulsing, unconscious or not breathing, see CPR.

Prevention: Prevent roaming, especially in grain and livestock areas where rat poisons may have been placed. Store all poisons in original containers in a safe location out of reach of cats. When using snail bait poisons, use commercial holders designed to keep bait away from pets.

The poisons discussed below are included because they are among the most frequently seen by veterinarians.

STRYCHNINE

Strychnine is used as a rat, mouse and mole poison. It is also a common coyote bait. It is available commercially as coated pellets dyed purple, red or green. Signs of poisoning are so typical that the diagnosis can be made almost at once. Onset is sudden (less than two hours). The first signs are agitation, excitability and apprehension. They are followed rather quickly by intensely painful tetanic seizures that last about 60 seconds, during which the cat throws the head back, can't breathe and turns blue. The slightest stimulation such as tapping the cat or clapping the hands starts a seizure. This characteristic response is used to make the diagnosis. Other signs associated with nervous system involvement are tremors, champing, drooling, uncoordinated muscle spasms, collapse and paddling of the legs.

Seizures due to strychnine and other central nervous system toxins are sometimes misdiagnosed as epilepsy. This error would be a mistake because immediate veterinary attention is necessary. Epileptic seizures usually last a few minutes and do not recur during the same episode. Signs always appear in a certain order, and each attack is the same. They are over before the cat can get to a veterinarian. Usually, they are not considered emergencies (see NERVOUS SYSTEM: Seizure Disorders).

Treatment: If your cat is showing the first signs of poisoning and hasn't vomited, induce vomiting as discussed earlier in this chapter. Do not induce vomiting if the cat exhibits signs of labored breathing.

With signs of central nervous system involvement, do not take time to induce vomiting. It is important to avoid loud noises or unnecessary handling that might trigger a seizure. Cover your cat with a coat or blanket and go to the nearest veterinary clinic.