Toxic flower?

[EarlsMom]

I'm sorry I don't feel like I have a to me to sift through the data here and hoping someone can help!

My 12 week old ingested a mum flower (small portion) from my bouquet. All other food she had this morning she had had before except a few small rose hips (new to her). Within two hours here stools went from perfect to shooting diarrhea! She ate her formula at 4pm fine despite the diarrhea. She has not lost weight yet. Since that time she has become lethargic and quiet. Won't come out of her cube. Eyes closed and doesn't want me to bother her. I'm worried!!! Something happened suddenly! This isn't your average diarrhea!

I called poison control regarding the flower food packet that the flowers were absorbing. The active ingredient is Aluminum sulfate 1-5%

I am now going to call the National Animal poison Center. Has anyone had this happen and know what to do?

[CritterMom]

It is the flower itself. Mum flowers are used to make the insecticide pyrethrin. I can't find much info other than to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate to push the toxins out of the kidneys. I would also give him milk thistle for a bit to help flush it out of the liver. It isn't usually fatal to dogs and cats... It CAN cause seizures - hopefully this won't happen. The fact that he vomited is actually good.

Push fluids. You can use pedialyte, homemade pedialyte or even just a little bit of sugar or splash of fruit juice (for flavor) in plain water. Warm it and syringe feed like formula.

[EarlsMom]

Yes she ate a mouthful of the florist mum. The mum has been soaking up the flower food for 5days. The active ingredient in that is aluminum sulfate. And I just read before you posted that it was used to make the insecticide pyrethrin.

She did not vomit, only the diarrhea and now lethargic and sleeping, don't bother me, eyes closed. Looks like she doesn't feel good.

I tried giving her homemade hydration after her formula (couple hours after). No way! She fought me tooth and nail! I tried straight water from syringe and putting it in a bowl both. I felt like I was causing more stress so I didn't push it especially in light of the fact she had eaten all her formula 30-33cc.

I read where aluminum sulfate when mixed with water can create sulfuric acid. Since that food packet was mixed with water and the flower had plenty of time to absorb it, what do you think about a dose of baking soda to neutralize it? Is sodium bicarbonate safe and what would be a dose?

I will go get some milk thistle. Is there a dosing on that?

BTW, the diarrhea seems to have quieted since she's been resting. I disturbed her and she offered a pastey stool. I wonder that it might start running again once she gets up.

And Crittermom, THANk YOU SO MUCH for responding!!!

[CritterMom]

I don't think I would use the soda - worried about bloating. You may want to just let her be and sleep - she probably feels lousy - and try to keep an eye on her tonight. If she will take fluids later, that would be good. I would have suggested activated carbon but it needs to be administered right after they ingest the toxic substance to work. Keep her close to you tonight so you can hear if there are any issues.

[EarlsMom]

I just tried to give her some water with same reaction as before. I then tried her formula and diluted it a bit and she took 10-12cc of that (not enthusiastically but accepting). She's definitely feeling lousy.
I'm off to get the milk thistle hopefully befor the store closes in 15 min.

[EarlsMom]

I have some milk thistle now, 120mg capsules.

How should I administer it? Sprinkle it on something like I do a probiotic (how much?)
Do I break it up and make an oral suspension and syringe it? Dosing?

In the time it took me to go out and get the milk thistle Gearl got up and peed and pooed (bit more pastey), she's opened her eyes and is moving around arranging her fleeces. That seems an improvement. Hoping!

[CritterMom]

I would sprinkle it like the probiotic. If you open the capsule up it is filled with what is basically dried, ground up plant material. Dump it out onto a smooth surface and divide it up into 8 roughly equal piles which will give you about 15mg per pile and use 1 of them per day. I would give it in multiple doses, not just one big one. She sounds better and probably doesn't even need this but it is a nice hedge against issues and it isn't going to hurt her.

[EarlsMom]

I sure was thankful to see this little 'Gearl' waiting for her breakfast this morning!

She appears no worse for the wear! It seems whatever it was, exited violently through her bum and knocked her out for a day, scaring me half to death! :tap Both her appetite and poops are back to normal!

I'll keep the milk thistle dosing info handy in the growing arsenal!

:thankyou:thankyou:thankyou

[CritterMom]

I sure was thankful to see this little 'Gearl' waiting for her breakfast this morning!

She appears no worse for the wear! It seems whatever it was, exited violently through her bum and knocked her out for a day, scaring me half to death! :tap Both her appetite and poops are back to normal!

I'll keep the milk thistle dosing info handy in the growing arsenal!

:thankyou:thankyou:thankyou

Oh, good! That is pretty much what I read regarding the pyrethrin but of course all of that is RE: dog and cat, so we are always flying blind with squirrels!

Many flowers are perfectly edible but I always try to talk people out of purchasing them. Most flowers are grown commercially with enough insecticides dumped on them that the poor people who end up harvesting them have enormously high cancer rates. There just isn't any way to wash that off - it becomes part of the plant tissue...