Does Poison Ivy Oak and Sumac Affect Dogs

By Linda Cole

Hiking a favorite trail or playing at the park may seem like a safe way to spend the day, but you may not have noticed that patch of poison ivy your dog walked through. The question is, does poison ivy, oak or sumac affect dogs, and can they give it to us?

Humans and animals can suffer the same itchy fate when exposed skin makes contact with poison ivy, oak or sumac. These plants arent as likely to bother cats because their coat covers them completely. Dogs on the other hand, have exposed skin on their tummy and the inside area of their back legs. The oil from these plants can also sometimes work its way through a dog or cats coat to the skin, causing an itchy discomfort. If you werent aware your pet was in contact with one of these poison plants, you might think his scratching was due to fleas.

Poison ivy is generally found in every state except Hawaii and Alaska. Poison oak is mainly found in western states; it can be found in southern states as well, but is rarely found in the Midwest. Sumac thrives in wooded, swampy areas of southern and eastern states. Its also prevalent in wet wooded areas, like along the Mississippi River.

All three toxic plants contain an oily sap called urushiol, which causes an itchy rash and nasty blisters on the skin. Urushiol has to be absorbed through the skin before it can cause an allergic reaction. It takes longer for the oily resin to penetrate through thicker skin, which is why there can be a delay before theres a reaction, or why it seems to spread. A rash and blisters are seen first where the skin is the thinnest, and appears on other areas as the toxin is absorbed through thicker skin. Fluid from broken blisters is not contagious and cant infect other areas on the body because the urushiol that created the blister has already been absorbed.

If your dog or cat walks through a patch of poison ivy, oak or sumac and gets some of the resin on his coat, even if it doesnt affect him, you can get the sap on you if he rubs against you or you pet him. Since dogs and cats are shorter, its very easy for them to get the oily sap on their ears, face or anywhere else on their body when hiking or just out running around in their own backyard.

Poison ivy, oak and sumac are fragile plants and are easy to break, which is how the oil is released. Urushiol is present in all parts of the plants. Dogs walking, rolling or running through a patch can get it on their tummy, on the underside of their back legs and on their coat. A reaction can be mild to severe.

We use calamine (Caladryl) lotion to ease our discomfort. However, it can be toxic to pets if they lick it because it has zinc oxide in it, so its not recommended for use on dogs and cats. Its best to take your pet to the vet. He may need prescription medication to reduce inflammation and itching.

You can minimize the effects of the toxin on you or your pet by washing it off immediately with soap and warm water. The oily sap cant produce a rash if it isnt allowed to soak into the skin. It usually takes at least two washings (three is best), to get all of the urushiol washed off your pet. During and after the first washing, try not to let your pet shake because he can transfer some of the oil to you. Wear gloves, a long sleeve shirt and pants to lessen the chance of getting some of the oil on your skin. If you use a towel to dry your pet off, be sure to wash it before using it again. The toxin can be spread to you from clothing, shoes or tools that have been in contact with it.

Sometimes a dog or cat will eat some of the plant. As long as they dont eat a lot, its usually not a problem, but some pets can have an adverse reaction. Watch for vomiting or diarrhea, and if you think your pet ate some poison ivy, oak or sumac and is having a reaction to it, call your vet as soon as possible.

From our perspective, poison ivy, oak and sumac are nuisance plants that can adversely affect our pets and us, but they are important for wildlife. Crows, bluebirds, turkeys, raccoons, rabbits and deer eat the berry-like fruit on the plant, and the Northern Cardinal and American Goldfinch use threads from the plant to build their nests. Your best protection is to learn how to identify each plant, and give them a wide berth when you see them.

Top photo by Bruce McKay
Middle photo by Robert Brenner 
Bottom photo by Dan Foy

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Top 10 Poison Dangers for Dogs

By Langley Cornwell

It’s that time again. Spring is upon us, and my neighbors are fertilizing their lawns and spraying all kinds of insecticides to kill bugs. It always makes me nervous when they’re poisoning up their adjacent yard; I’m sure some of the toxic chemicals migrate over into our space. To educate myself, I consulted the Pet Poison Helpline and saw that they have an updated list of potential poisons in our homes and yards.

The Pet Poison Helpline is a valuable resource for pet people. They log every call they get, and each year they examine their records to determine what type of poisons garnered the most calls. So even though we’ve written other articles here on the CANIDAE RPO blog about the plants, foods or chemicals that can be hazardous to your pet, as a responsible pet owner it’s good to stay updated on the subject. With that in mind, here are the most common dangers for dogs, listed in order of the frequency of calls into the helpline. Interestingly, the list starts with food items because food accounted for the highest number of poisoning calls.

1.  Foods, especially xylitol, chocolate and grapes/raisins

Xylitol is getting a lot of attention lately because of claims that tout its health benefits, including reducing the risk of tooth decay. Many sugarless gums and candies now contain xylitol, and this sweetener is dangerous to dogs. Even a small amount ingested by your pup can result in a potentially fatal drop in blood sugar or even liver failure.

Most of us know that chocolate is toxic to dogs. The chemical in chocolate that makes it dangerous for dogs is theobromine, which is a relative of caffeine. The darker, bitter chocolates are the most dangerous. The fact that raisins and grapes are toxic foods for dogs isn’t as widely known. Be cautious; if a dog eats raisins or grapes it can result in kidney failure.

2.  Insecticides 

If it can kill insects, it can kill other things. Ingestion of insecticides and pesticides were the second most common call to the helpline. What I didn’t know is that one of the most dangerous ingredients is organophosphate (e.g., disulfoton) which is often found in rose-care products. This toxic chemical can be fatal to dogs, even when ingested in small amounts, so rose gardeners please take note.

Even though spot-applied flea and tick treatments work well for dogs, you have to be extremely careful if you are a mixed-species household because they can be very toxic to cats. Read the labels carefully and look out for products that contain pyrethrins or pyrethroids, which are a derivative of the Chrysanthemum flower. These chemicals are severely toxic if directly applied or ingested by cats.

3.  Mouse and rat poisons

Another case of the obvious; if it kills rodents it can kill other things. There are a variety of chemicals in mouse and rat poisons, all with diverse active ingredients and different types of action. Therefore all of them, regardless of what the packaging claims, are potentially poisonous to dogs. They can cause severe vomiting, internal bleeding, brain swelling or kidney failure. Furthermore, if your pets eat a mouse or rat that was poisoned by rodenticides, it can cause what’s called relay toxicity, meaning they can be poisoned via the dead animal.

4.  Human ibuprofen and naproxen pain relief drugs

Common NSAID pain relief drugs, which include Advil, Aleve and Motrin, can cause severe problems to dogs when ingested. These pain relievers can cause your pet stomach and intestinal ulcers as well as potential kidney failure. You should never treat your pet with human drugs of any sort without consulting your veterinarian.

5.  Common household cleaners 

Powerful cleaning products carry the highest risk to animals due to their corrosive properties. These household cleaners include rust removers, toilet bowel cleaners, calcium/lime removers and drain cleaners. And remember, just because a cleaner claims to be “natural,” it’s not necessarily safe. With all household cleaners, it’s better to err on the side of caution and keep them all out of your pet’s reach.

6.  Human antidepressant drugs

Of all the prescription drugs, antidepressants account for the highest number of emergency calls into the helpline. When ingested, these drugs can cause neurological problems in dogs like high levels of agitation, sedation, tremors and seizures. Please keep all human medications away from your pets.

7.  Fertilizers

The Pet Poison Helpline says that some fertilizers are fairly safe, but I still keep my dogs away from them. Apparently, certain organic fertilizers that contain iron, blood meal, bone meal and feather meal may be especially appealing to dogs. Consuming large quantities can cause severe pancreatitis or even bind together in the stomach and obstruct the gastrointestinal tract.

8.  Human acetaminophen drugs and cough/cold medications

Considerable amounts of acetaminophen (Tylenol) can lead to severe liver failure in dogs. Cat people should be doubly cautions about acetaminophen because it poses a more significant threat – one Tylenol can be fatal to felines.

9.  Human amphetamine drugs 

Drugs that are used to treat ADD and ADHD, like Adderall and Concerta, contain strong stimulants. The smallest amount ingested by a dog can cause life-threatening heart problems, tremors, seizures and elevated body temperatures and heart problems.

10.  Veterinary pain relievers 

Rimadyl is a veterinary-specific, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that is often prescribed by veterinarians for inflammation, osteoarthritis and pain management for dogs. Be careful, though. Over ingestion can result in severe gastric ulceration and acute kidney failure in dogs.

Top photo by Crystal Rolfe
Bottom photo by Tony Alter

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