I have three dogs, 2 Greyhounds and one Whippet who thinks he is a Greyhound. Well, he does look like a miniature version of one. They are an important part of our family and as such we do all we can to keep them happy, healthy, and safe.

But as you know, dogs will be dogs. And they sometimes get into things they shouldn't. Especially my Whippet. He thinks everything is food, so we have to be watchful that he doesn't ingest something harmful.

And since our dogs spend some time in the great outdoors, more so in the summer than winter, there may be some plants that look interesting to get into. We constantly keep an eye on them to make sure they don't get too interested and decide to taste something that could be harmful or even worse, fatal.

One of those toxic plants would be Milkweed. According to the Pet Poison Hotline website, Milkweed, also goes by the names of Giant milkweed, Cardiac Glycoside, and Asclepias. This plant can interfere directly with electrolyte balance within a dog's heart muscle.

The Healthy Paws Pet Insurance and Foundation website notes that Milkweed can cause moderate to severe poisoning in dogs and cats. They recommend you get your pet to a veterinarian as soon as possible.

Some signs that your dog (or cat) may have ingested a milkweed plant, include drooling, nausea, vomiting, abnormal heart rate, weakness, dilated pupils, tremors, and seizures among others.

All parts of the Milkweed plant are considered toxic. A suggestion may be to rid any area where your pet roams of milkweed. The downside is. according to the Healthy Paws website, is that Milkweed is a primary food source for Monarch caterpillars, and destroying the plant may be harmful to the Monarch population. They suggest replanting the milkweed in an area that your pet(s) can't access, or fence the area off.

via Pet Poison Hotline, Healthy Paws Pet Insurance and Foundation

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