Christmas rose is highly toxic for dogs
Helleborus niger 
The Christmas rose is an evergreen perennial flowering plant that can grow to a height of approx. 30cm. It has reddish stems and firm dark green leaves that remain green even in winter and during frost. The flowers appear in winter and basically consist of sepals that can turn white, pink or even wine-red. They are particularly popular in winter in the garden, but also as a houseplant (although it needs the cold temperatures in the long run).
All parts of the Christmas rose are poisonous to dogs, but especially the roots and seeds.
Christmas rose is also known as:
- black hellebore
What should I do if my dog ate Christmas rose?
How toxic is Christmas rose?
| Toxicity: | (highly toxic) |
| Toxic parts: | All parts of the Christmas rose are poisonous, but especially the roots and seeds. |
| Toxic time: | winter, spring, summer, autumn |
| Antidote: | Digitalis |
If your dog shows symptoms of poisoning, it is always an emergency! Time is critical for your dog's life. You should immediately call your vet or the animal emergency services and make sure that a vet is on site and then go there immediately. For the treatment, it helps the vet a lot to know what your dog has ingested.
Occurrence Christmas rose
| Plant species: | herbs |
| Occurrence: | - |
| Areas: | Europe |
| Flowering time: | winter, spring |
| Fruit ripening: | spring, summer |
Symptoms
The following symptoms may occur in case of poisoning with the Christmas rose:
- increased salivation
- nausea
- vomiting
- diarrhoea
- abdominal pain
- the mucous membrane of the mouth may be reddened
- cramps and paralysis
- disorders of the locomotor system
- disorders of consciousness
- coma
In the case of severe poisoning, the following symptoms may also occur later on:
- severe heart problems
- death from respiratory paralysis or circulatory collapse
Treatment
The vet will always try to remove the ingested poison from the body and alleviate the specific symptoms of poisoning.
There are different methods to remove the poison from the body:
1. ACTIVATED CHARCOAL: Activated charcoal can absorb toxins. If possible, it should be administered within 2 hours after ingestion of the poison, so that the toxin does not enter the bloodstream.
2. LAXATIVES: The vet may combine the administration of activated charcoal with a laxative.
3. VOMITING: The vet can also induce vomiting using medication to remove the toxin from the body.
In case of severe poisoning, the vet can work with the antidote and give strengthening infusions and protection for the mucous membrane.
More information on dog poisonings can be found here:
Preventing, identifying and treating poisoning in dogs
Further poisonous plants from A to Z
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