Elder is toxic for dogs
Sambucus nigra 
The elderberry is a shrub or tree that can reach a height of up to 7 metres. The bark of the black elder is almost corky and its light green leaves are elliptical in shape. The white flowers form in large panicles. The initially red berry-like fruits turn black when fully ripe.
All parts of the elderberry are poisonous to dogs. The leaves, unripe fruits, seeds in the berries, and the fresh bark.
Elder is also known as:
- elderberry
- black elder
- European elder
- European elderberry
What should I do if my dog ate Elder?
How toxic is Elder?
| Toxicity: | (toxic) |
| Toxic parts: | All parts of the elder are poisonous to dogs: the leaves, unripe fruits, seeds in the berries and the fresh bark. However, the concentration of poison is particularly high in the raw seeds of the elderberries. |
| Toxic time: | winter, spring, summer, autumn |
| Antidote: | In case of cyanide poisoning caused by black elderberry, sodium nitrite or sodium thiosulphate or dimethylaminophenol is administered by the veterinarian. |
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 Elder
| Plant species: | tree |
| Occurrence: | Gardens, Parks, Forests |
| Areas: | Europe |
| Flowering time: | spring, summer |
| Fruit ripening: | summer, autumn |
Symptoms
The following symptoms may occur with black elderberry poisoning:
- severe vomiting
- colicky stomach pain
- severe diarrhoea
- shortness of breath
- red and later bluish mucous membranes
- muscle cramps
- racing heart
- coma
- death may occur due to respiratory paralysis
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.
To alleviate the symptoms of poisoning, the vet can, for example, start treatment with antidote, give oxygen and infusions.
More information on dog poisonings can be found here:
Further poisonous plants from A to Z
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