In most cases of laurel poisoning, your dog will be admitted to the veterinary hospital for treatment right away. Why are they poisonous? If you share your home with a dog, it is recommended that you either choose Bay or an alternative species to prevent your pet from coming to any harm by ingesting any fallen leaves, berries etc. Laurel hedge plants produce hydrocyanic acid which can cause serious complications if ingested. It is difficult as we have a Laurel hedge (3 meters high) sourrounding our garden. Due to its method of pollen dispersal, the kalmia latifolia flower is capable of throwing its pollen up to 15 centimeters away. If your pet has eaten any part of a laurel shrub, contact your veterinarian immediately.The flowering shrub laurel contains a powerful neurotoxin called grayanotoxin which can disturb the proper function of the body’s cell membranes. Supportive treatment will often start before a definitive diagnosis is made due to the severity of the symptoms.Preliminary treatment will depend on the length of time since the flower was ingested and if any symptoms have already become apparent. The toxin is located in the leaves, petals and even pollen of the laurel plant. These toxins can disrupt the ability of the cells of the body to return to their normal state after excitation. Click on the links below to learn more about the individual varieties of laurel hedging. I live in a small town and theres no vets available at night is there any home remedies i can try before morning?Our dog eats the berries which fall to the ground! I try to prune the branches as much as I can and pick up the dried up berries as often as possible...we have to check all the time he does not find one...but he gets sick quite often because of this. Otherwise, you may prefer to choose an alternative species.It is recommended that customers who are going to be planting a hedge which may be accessible to livestock consider an alternative species, or choose Bay Laurel, which is not poisonous to sheep.Laurel hedging is also toxic to humans – including berries, leaves and stems – and particularly wilted or fallen leaves. Certain types of laurel contain diterpenoids (grayanotoxins). - This type of laurel is also referred to as the Carolina laurel and the Carolina wicky. It is found in the warmer southern regions and has pink blooms. Almost all species of Laurel hedge are poisonous to dogs, with the exception of Bay Laurel. Activated charcoal will also be will be dispensed to your dog in an attempt to soak up as much of the grayanotoxin as possible.If the exposure was more than an hour or so before treatment, the attending veterinarian might choose to perform a gastric irrigation under general anesthetic to remove as much toxin from the patient’s digestive system as possible. Once the poison has been eliminated from the gastrointestinal system, supportive treatments will begin, including IV fluids to prevent dehydration and combinations of electrolytes and sugars to adjust for any imbalances. All other species of Laurel hedging are poisonous to horses and we recommend choosing Bay Laurel hedging if it is likely that horses may come into contact with your hedge.
It has a wide distribution in Pennsylvania and other eastern regions but is uncommon in northwestern areas. The grayanotoxin produced in the laurel plant has chemical properties that closely resemble turpentine, and this causes some burning in the mouth when it is chewed. :-( This reaction leaves the cells in a permanently excited state.If you see your pet consuming any part of the laurel shrub, identification is often sufficient information for a primary diagnosis of poisoning. Mountain laurel is an evergreen flowering shrub which happens to be the state flower of Pennsylvania. Respiratory support may be required, and atropine may also be needed if your canine’s heart rate drops below 40-50 beats per minute.Recovery from mild laurel poisoning is usually within about 24 hours. - Also known as sheep laurel and lambkill, this shrub grows wild throughout the eastern portion of North America and produce bright pink clusters of flowers in the summer. The answer is simple. It is because these plant’s leaves have not only eugenol but also other toxic essential oils. Laurels are a small genus of flowering shrub in the heather family with lanceolate leaves and clusters of white, pink, or purple flowers that resemble the blooms on the rhododendron plant.