Buckeye is Poisonous To Pets

Name: Buckeye

Toxins: Aesculin

Symptoms: Depression, twitching, inflammation of the mucous membranes along with vomiting, hyper excitability, dilated pupils, coma.

Additional Information: Buckeye (Aka. Ohio Buckeye, California Buckeye, Horse chestnut) is a highly toxic tree that can grow to heights of 50 feet or more. Every part of the plant is toxic to include the seeds, leaves, and bark, the toxicity of the plant can be attributed to glycosides such as aesculin, saponin, fraxin,  and possibly alkaloids. The common signs of ingestion are depression, twitching, inflammation of the mucous membranes along with vomiting. The real risk for consumption of companion animals is primarily limited to puppies that are allowed to roam freely in an area where the seeds have dropped to the ground. The combination of a young dogs curiosity and desire to explore the world by eating or placing things in their mouths combined with the inherent toxicity of the plant can make for a potentially lethal combination. The positive is that with swift diagnosis and treatment nearly all animals will generally survive without permanent damage.

First Aid: Avoid Further Ingestion of the Plant and remove and existing plant material from the animals mouth. Induce vomiting with a 3% peroxide solution if it is suspected that a quantity was ingested then flush the mouth thoroughly with water. Consult a Veterinarian