Sago Palms are Hazardous to your Pets!

I came across an article in the Orange County Register titled “Are sago palms killing our pets?“. A woman’s dog had swallowed what was most likely the seed from a Sago Palm, a popular plant in Southern California, that had fallen into his water bowl. The dog became extremely ill and nearly died. I have two dogs and many of my friends and family have dogs as well, so as you can imagine, this story grabbed my attention.

Sago Palms (Cycas revoluta) may look like palms, but they  are actually more closely related to conifers, or pine trees. They are part of the Cycad family and date back to prehistoric times. Sago palms have stiff narrow leaflets and shaggy trunks. They are extremely slow growing. Taller specimens are highly sought after and can be a bit on the expensive side. The male variety grows a cone in the heart of the plant, while the female variety will grow a felt seed mass.

All parts of the Sago Palm are poisonous, not only to animals, but humans as well. Symptoms of poisoning first start to appear approximately 12 hours after ingestion. According to the ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) website, the plant contains “toxic compounds that can potentially produce vomiting and diarrhea, weakness, seizures and even liver failure and death in cats and dogs“. The same article also states that “50 to 75 percent of cases involving ingestion of Sago Palm result in fatalities“. If you believe that your pet may have ingested any amount of the plant, contact a poison control center or veterinarian immediately.

ASPCA listed plant poisonings as one of their Top 10 Pet Poisons of 2009 with over  7,858 calls to their Animal Poison Control Center. Sago Palms are just one of many plants that are toxic to pets. The ASPCA has a list of 17 Poisonous Plants, many of which are common in our Southern California gardens. If you have a Sago in your garden, and you have pets or small children, it’s best to replace the plant with something that is non-toxic. The ASPCA has a searchable database of plants that are both toxic and non-toxic that you can use to find a suitable replacement.

Our pets are an important part of our lives. For most of us they are part of the family. Take a walk through your garden and make sure it’s safe for your pets. Before planting new plants, check the above mentioned database to make sure they’re not toxic. Do the best you can to provide a safe environment for your pets. Please share the information in this post and the linked articles with your family, friends, and any other pet lovers you may know.