Mistletoe is toxic for dogs
Viscum album 
Mistletoe is a mostly evergreen hemiparasite that nests on deciduous trees. It is a popular decorative plant at Christmas because of its pea-sized whitish berries. A popular custom is to kiss under the mistletoe.
Mistletoe grows on deciduous trees in forests - but dogs are unlikely to come into contact with it there. But especially around Christmas time, they are often found in flower shops.
All parts of mistletoe are poisonous to dogs. They contain lectins that are toxic to dogs and cause gastrointestinal problems and irritation of the central nervous system.
Mistletoe is also known as:
- European mistletoe
- common mistletoe
What should I do if my dog ate Mistletoe?
How toxic is Mistletoe?
| Toxicity: | (toxic) |
| Toxic parts: | All parts of mistletoe are poisonous to dogs. |
| Toxic time: | winter, spring, summer, autumn |
| Antidote: | Unknown |
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 Mistletoe
| Plant species: | tree parasite |
| Occurrence: | Avenues, Gardens, Parks, Forests |
| Areas: | Europe |
| Flowering time: | spring |
| Fruit ripening: | autumn, winter |
Symptoms
The following symptoms can occur with mistletoe poisoning:
- vomiting
- abdominal pain
- diarrhoea
- restlessness
- movement disorders
- pupil dilation
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 relieve the symptoms, the vet can administer painkillers and infusions if necessary.
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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