Ingestion of Popular House Plant Can be Fatal to Pets
Sago palms are becoming a popular potted plant in the home, yet many owners are not aware of the inherent danger of sago palms—they are toxic to both dogs and cats. Dr. Alexia Berg, on the Emergency Medicine & Critical Care service at Henry and Lois Foster Hospital for Small Animals (FHSA) and assistant clinical professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, answers questions about prevention, symptoms, and treatment of sago palm poisoning.
What are the risks if a pet eats a sago palm?
The risk of pets eating sago is that any part of the plant can cause them to become sick. Illness can range from GI distress, such as vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, and decreased appetite, to profound hemorrhagic diarrhea, causing life-threatening blood loss and dehydration, to liver failure.
What parts of the plant are poisonous?
All parts of the plant are toxic, but the seed pods may be more potent than the rest of the plant. They also tend to be the most fun part for dogs to chew on and play with.
What are the signs or symptoms that a pet has ingested a sago palm frond or seeds? How soon do symptoms appear?
The initial symptoms of sago palm ingestion are, unfortunately, non-specific, with vomiting, lethargy, and diarrhea being the most common. Diarrhea can be bloody and profound. Symptoms can progress to involvement of the liver, including liver failure, clotting issues, and shock.
If an owner is worried that their pet has eaten a sago palm, what should they do?
If you witness your pet playing with or ingesting part of a sago, it is essential to get to the vet quickly for induction of vomiting. The goal is to remove as much of the toxic material from the body as possible before it has a chance to be fully absorbed. There is no antidote for it, and treatment is entirely supportive in nature.
How is sago palm poisoning diagnosed and treated? Time is of the essence.
There is no specific test for it—diagnosis is based on witnessed ingestion or exposure and compatible clinical signs, including GI upset, lethargy, and liver failure. The sooner support is implemented, generally the better the prognosis, but sago can, unfortunately, be fatal to pets even with prompt recognition and care.
If the pet survives, what are the long-term effects of sago palm poisoning?
There may be some long-term changes to liver values on bloodwork; however, long-term implications from sago toxicosis are generally uncommon. The majority of the dangerous part of sago toxicosis is in the acute phase.
Do you often see cats and dogs come into the ER at FHSA having ingested a sago palm or other toxic houseplants?
Ingestion of toxic house plants is common. Many have mild mouth irritants, and some, such as lilies in cats or sago palms in dogs, can have far more severe medical implications. While sago palms are toxic to both dogs and cats, I have observed far more dogs affected than cats, and we occasionally see them presenting to Foster Hospital for Small Animals. I used to treat them with far more regularity when I lived in the Southeastern United States.
How should owners prevent sago palm poisoning?
The best way to prevent sago toxicosis (or toxicosis from any house plant) is not to have the plant in the home. Even in a room, pets should not be left unattended or high up on a shelf, as accidents can happen. Doors may be left open, and items can fall from shelves. It is safest not to have it in the home. Fortunately, we do not live in a climate where sagos thrive outdoors year-round, so exposure is typically well-known.
Lilies are a popular flower but are also toxic to cats and dogs. What are the risks of lilies to cats and dogs that ingest or even just lick them?
True. Lilies—think Easter lilies, day lilies, tiger lilies—are highly toxic to cats. Every part of the plant is poisonous. Even walking through the pollen and grooming it off can cause serious health issues. In cats, lilies cause kidney failure within days of ingestion. Once kidney injury occurs, it is very difficult to recover from it, so prompt recognition of exposure and intervention is recommended. If you have cats, it is best not to have true lilies in the home at all.
Are there any other plants that pet owners should not have around pets? Are there any other best practices when bringing new plants and flowers into the home?
When bringing new plants into the home, it is good practice to identify the exact species and spend some time researching reputable sources of information to determine if it is toxic to your pet. Aside from veterinarians, the Pet Poison Helpline (855-764-7661) and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888-426-4435) are beneficial resources for identifying and understanding toxicity levels in various animals. Additionally, many plant and fungal identification experts on social media platforms like Facebook can provide valuable assistance.
Dr. Alexia Berg, D.V.M., DACVECC, is an Emergency Medicine and Critical Care doctor at Foster Hospital for Small Animals and an assistant clinical professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University.