It is a fact well known to many that a substance called oxalate is quite prevalent in the leaves of the rhubarb plant. It is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream if ingested and can cause serious problems.
Rhubarb lovers and gardeners know that only the stems are eaten and the leaves are cut off at harvest time. Some of us faithfully wear gloves at all times. Some don’t. Some people compost the leaves. Others make a quick trip to the dumpster. There is some debate about the seriousness of the dangers.
Yet with all we know and all we’ve read, how many of us take our pets outside every day?
We constantly send our pets outside to roam the property to enjoy the sun, get some fresh air and exercise, or just to relieve themselves. We don’t give this daily grind any second thoughts.
I bet a large part of the population never really considers the danger that a simple garden plant can pose to a curious animal. It is not due to a lack of care or concern for our beloved pets. I think it’s simply a case of wishful thinking and fingers crossed that our pet will come back in the same state it left.
Animals are instinctively curious and notorious for getting into things they should avoid.
Humans know better, or at least we should. Animals do not, so we must be aware that the symptoms shown by rhubarb poisoning in pets are very similar to those shown in humans.
A messed up pet will typically show the signs in the form of excessive drooling or vomiting or both.
Obviously, they won’t be too steady on their feet and will appear to wobble. Your pet may show signs of obvious abdominal pain when affected. Eventually you may even have seizures. Would you know how to handle this, seeing that your pet is in trouble?
The most obvious thing, I think, would be to immediately call your vet to get his opinion.
They will surely recommend that you seek medical attention for your pet. Instructions have been published on how to give ipecac to an animal to induce vomiting. I don’t think this is the best thing to do, simply because we are not qualified to determine if that is the solution. I also wouldn’t use the hydrogen peroxide and water mixture for the same reason. Vomiting can even add to the problem on the way back.
I also don’t think this is a good idea, as it means physically forcing your pet to do this while in distress. I speak from experience that the worst thing you can do is put your hands around the face of a severely agitated pet. If you think there’s poison in a rhubarb leaf, consider the bacteria contained in a cat’s long front fangs. While trying to comfort a distressed pet, I was immediately bitten on the knuckle. My hand got horribly red and swollen overnight. It swelled to an incredible size much to the concern of my doctor. That’s a dangerous situation, and it took two weeks to start to heal.
Get help, wear thick gloves, and muzzle your pet if you can. Take them in a carrier to your vet and keep them warm with a family blanket. Take vomit samples with you. Have a sample of the sheet if possible.
If you are not sure how serious the situation is, call your local SPCA or the Animal Poison Control Center at 1-888-426-4435. Be as prepared for them with information as you would be with your own child.
We need to discipline ourselves as responsible pet lovers to improve our efforts to keep them safe in their own environment. We should be faithfully accompanying them when we take them out to roam free. We should be there to guide them away from the dangers of the garden. We need to put barriers around the dangerous parts of our gardens. Better yet, we should have specific places for them to roam where they are restricted to that one safe area.