The umbrella is a decorative plant that adds to the house’s greenery. Because of its strong growth rate, easy care, and low light requirement, this houseplant is frequently recommended. If you wish to grow a plant indoors, an umbrella plant is an excellent choice, but if you have pets, you should avoid growing an umbrella plant indoors.
Pets and the Umbrella Plant
If swallowed, umbrella plants contain chemicals that are harmful to pets. My cat ingested an umbrella plant, but I was able to save her by getting her to the veterinarian right afterwards. As a result, I’ve chosen to write a review on umbrella plants and pets, as well as their negative effects, treatment, and precautions.
Is the Umbrella Plant Toxic to Cats?
The umbrella plant is native to African and Australian woodlands, but it is currently grown as a houseplant due to its low maintenance and ease of care. Only a few individuals are aware that this plant contains poisons that can injure cats if eaten. Cats are vulnerable pets who can be harmed by the umbrella plant’s harmful effects.
The umbrella plant is also known as the octopus tree, StarLeaf, schefflera, Australian Ivy palm, and parasol plant, among other names. A pet owner should avoid buying a plant with these names while shopping for a houseplant. You can protect your pet against umbrella plant eating in this method.
Symptoms to Be Aware Of
Assume the cat eats a large number of umbrella leaves by accident. In such situation, vomiting, stomach trouble, agitation, swelling around the nose and mouth, redness around the mouth, oral swelling, breathing difficulty, dilated pupil, and excessive salivation may occur. Take your cat to the veterinarian right away if any of these symptoms appear. My cat had become ill after eating an umbrella plant. It had diarrhea and was irritated in the mouth. I became aware of these symptoms and hurried my cat to the doctor.
Diagnosis
The cat’s physical complaints will be thoroughly examined by the veterinarian. You can assist your veterinarian by describing the plant or by taking a stem from a plant that your cat has eaten. It will aid the veterinarian in making an accurate diagnosis. Toxins found in the umbrella plant, such as insoluble oxalates, saponin, and terpenoids, will aid in the diagnosis of the condition without the need for additional testing. A comprehensive blood test will be performed by the veterinarian to detect any changes in the blood cells. For added confidence, the vet will examine the contents of the cat’s stomach.
Treatment
The therapy will be determined by the cat’s health or the amount of umbrella plant ingested by the cat. Intravenous fluid treatment is the first thing a veterinarian will do. This treatment will keep the cat hydrated while also allowing it to expel toxins from its stomach through urine.
A modest amount of hydrogen peroxide might also be used by the vet to make the cat vomit. The majority of the poisons in an umbrella plant will be expelled from the cat’s body in this manner. In my cat’s instance, the vet kept him for an overnight observation to ensure there were no further problems. Your veterinarian may advise you to bring your cat in for follow-up appointments to ensure a thorough recovery.
Is the Umbrella Plant Toxic to Dogs?
Dogs are poisoned by the poisons released by the umbrella plant. If your dog chews or eats the umbrella plant, it may become agitated or experience oral swelling. The umbrella plant contains calcium oxalate, which interacts with the dog’s stomach, causing a long-term disease. When a dog eats an umbrella plant, the calcium oxalate interacts with the mouth lining, causing esophageal and throat swelling.
Symptoms to Be Aware of
Your dog may eat an umbrella plant that you have grown in the corner of your house. Drooling, pacing, swelling and redness of the mouth and nose, swelling of the esophagus and throat, and stomach issues such as diarrhea, agitation, and vomiting are all possible symptoms.
Diagnosis
Take your dog to the veterinarian if you observe these symptoms so that he or she may be properly diagnosed and treated. To begin, your veterinarian will obtain a comprehensive medical history from your dog and do a physical examination to confirm the diagnosis. To evaluate the quantity of toxins in the dog’s body, the veterinarian will do a thorough blood test, biochemical analysis, and urine.
If your dog has swelling on his face, the vet will wash his face to relieve some of the symptoms. If your dog is having trouble breathing or has a clogged airway, the doctor may place a tube to clear the airway as soon as possible. The therapy is determined by the amount of plant ingested by the dog.
Treatment
With you, the veterinarian will discuss a treatment strategy. The vet will begin treating your dog after you authorize it. Decontamination may be part of the therapy. If your dog has swelling around the face, paws, or lips, this is a must-try approach. To relieve the discomfort or swelling produced by an umbrella plant’s poisons, the vet will thoroughly clean these regions with detergent. Gastric lavage may be performed by the veterinarian.
This approach involves placing a tube into your dog’s stomach and washing it. Medication, intravenous fluid treatment, and round-the-clock monitoring will aid in the relief of the dog’s symptoms. Your dog will be kept in the vet’s care overnight. You’ll also need to take your dog to follow-up appointments with your veterinarian.
Other Animals And The Umbrella Plant
Cattle and goats are poisoned by umbrella plants because they consume them by mistake while staring. Toxins found in these plants harm the stomach lining and produce significant illnesses, the most frequent of which are severe diarrhea and vomiting. The intensity of the symptoms is determined on the amount of plant consumed by the goat or animal. Umbrella plants are harmful to animals in general because toxins such as calcium oxalate crystals impact the stomach tissues after eating and can cause major illness.
FAQs
Is it okay for cats to eat umbrella plants?
Cats can suffer mild to severe symptoms from umbrella plants, which are not safe to have around. Diarrhea, vomiting, and discomfort are among the minor symptoms. Tremors, renal issues, and respiratory disorders are among the serious symptoms. An umbrella plant, whether cultivated indoors or outside, must be kept away from the cat.
Is the umbrella tree dangerous to dogs?
Yes, umbrella trees are hazardous to dogs because they contain poisons such as insoluble oxalate (calcium oxalate), saponin, and terpenoids in their leaves. If the dog accidentally eats or consumes the umbrella plant, it may become infected and exhibit symptoms such as drooling, oral irritation, burning, or swelling of the nose and face.
Is it true that umbrella plants are poisonous to pets?
Because of the poisons in the plant sap, umbrella plants are harmful to pets. Umbrella plants are easily consumed by cats and dogs by chewing or eating them. The poisons in this plant can harm your dogs’ health, and you could wind up in the hospital as a result. As a result, it’s critical to keep your dogs away from umbrella plants.
Conclusion
The most frequent houseplant is the umbrella plant, which is easy to cultivate and improves the overall appearance of your space. Before you cultivate this plant, you should be aware of its negative effects on pets, especially if you own one. When developing an umbrella plant, take the necessary measures. Protect the plant out of reach of your pets to keep their health from degrading. This article will explain the negative consequences of an umbrella plant and what therapy to expect if your pet becomes unwell as a result of the plant’s poisons.
