silverfish Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 (edited) I read this on Facebook this morning and followed the link through two blogs and Wikipedia to the Veterinary Information Network, so I know it's genuine and authentic .. sadly. The cycad Sago Palm is extremely toxic and will apparently kill 50-75% of animals who ingest it. Unfortunately, it seems it's also very palatable to dogs. This is now being sold as a houseplant in both the US and the UK, often without a warning of its toxicity. When I was checking the sources I found a nursery here in England which is selling them with the interesting fact that they were 'probably the main food source for herbivore dinosaurs' thus giving the impression that they were harmless, if not actually edible. All the links are in my blog today, if anyone is interested in my 'trail'. Edited to add the word 'dinosaurs' D'uh! Edited December 30, 2011 by silverfish Quote The plural of anecdote is not dataBrambleberry Greyhounds My Etsy Shop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HHHounds Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Scary! Thanks for sharing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LBass Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 I would love to have Sago palm--such an attractive plant--but have known of its serious toxicity to animals and so I have and will refrain from indulging my desire to grow it. I certainly wish more growers and nursery owners would add toxicity warnings to plant labels for the safety of animals and humans alike. When I am planning plantings for the yard or thinking of getting a new houseplant I always spend some time on line first to research for safety for the hounds and for my cat as well. Quote Lucy with Greyhound Nate and OSH Tinker. With loving memories of MoMo (FTH Chyna Moon), Spirit, Miles the slinky kitty (OSH), Piper "The Perfect" (Oneco Chaplin), Winston, Yoda, Hector, and Claire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MauCarden Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Having had giant Sagos in my backyard with my dogs, I have to say I can not imagine any animal attempting to eat any part of it. Unless they go for the new growth that comes out in the spring. The new growth is soft for a few days, but an animal would have to be determined and/or nuts to try to go through the older growth to get to it. Quote Missing my sweet girl Scout. My snuggler, my chow-hound, my kissy girl. It never thunders at the Bridge, and your food bowl is ALWAYS filled. So strange not living in Atty World. I was a love struck handmaiden to your every whim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfish Posted December 30, 2011 Author Share Posted December 30, 2011 Having had giant Sagos in my backyard with my dogs, I have to say I can not imagine any animal attempting to eat any part of it. Unless they go for the new growth that comes out in the spring. The new growth is soft for a few days, but an animal would have to be determined and/or nuts to try to go through the older growth to get to it. And yet they seem to! Strange, isn't it? Are yours cycads or true Sago Palms? Quote The plural of anecdote is not dataBrambleberry Greyhounds My Etsy Shop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burpdog Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Every year in Houston it seems, we have it on the news to remind people because some dogs get sick and/or die. Quote Diane & The Senior Gang Burpdog Biscuits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MauCarden Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Judy, I don't know. I was told they were Sagos which I thought were cycads. But holy cow they were painful to come in contact with. Quote Missing my sweet girl Scout. My snuggler, my chow-hound, my kissy girl. It never thunders at the Bridge, and your food bowl is ALWAYS filled. So strange not living in Atty World. I was a love struck handmaiden to your every whim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfish Posted December 30, 2011 Author Share Posted December 30, 2011 Judy, I don't know. I was told they were Sagos which I thought were cycads. But holy cow they were painful to come in contact with. According to what I've read, the toxic ones (cycads) are not related to true Sago Palms (metroxylon). True sagos are the ones we get sago from, so I sincerely hope the sago farmers know what they're doing! Painful? Ah... like the Yucca we have in our conservatory which keeps trying to poke our eyes out! Quote The plural of anecdote is not dataBrambleberry Greyhounds My Etsy Shop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyhoundlov Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Having had giant Sagos in my backyard with my dogs, I have to say I can not imagine any animal attempting to eat any part of it. Unless they go for the new growth that comes out in the spring. The new growth is soft for a few days, but an animal would have to be determined and/or nuts to try to go through the older growth to get to it. Exactly. I have to wear gloves to get the leaves out from under them (mine are in two giant whiskey barrels). Quote Mary in Houston Everyone has a photographic memory, but not everyone has film. LAND OF THE FREE BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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