Frequently (and not so frequently) Asked Questions
BRIEF: Are there any plants that cause death in dogs, horses or humans without symptoms?
QUESTION:
I go on hikes a lot with my dog; I also pasture two horses, and I was just
wondering are there any plants that cause death in dogs, horses or humans without
any
symptoms?
ANSWER:
No, but you might not notice the symptoms or associate them with the ingestion of
the plant. For example some of the deadliest amanita mushrooms have two sets of
ver different delayed symptoms before collapse and death (a third kind). Liver
toxins from pyrrolizidine alkaloid-bearing plants might take months to accumulate
damage, and progressive brain damage from yellow star thistle in horses can take
a long time and be misdiagnosed, as well.