Is zamioculcas dangerous – how does it affect humans and animals

A favorite indoor plant of Russian flower growers – Zamiokulkas – came from hot Africa. Like all aroid, This flower is poisonous, therefore, it requires a special approach to growing.If there are small children and pets in the house, care should be taken in its contents.

Content
  1. Zamioculcas
  2. How a plant affects children
  3. How a plant affects animals
  4. On cats
  5. For dogs
  6. For birds
  7. First aid for poisoning
  8. Fatal outcome
  9. How to prevent poisoning
  10. Useful videos

Опасен ли замиокулькас — как влияет на человека и животных

Is zamioculcas dangerous – how does it affect humans and animals

Zamioculcas is dangerous or not

The plant contains juice that It has a toxic effect on the body. However, Zamioculcas does not emit any toxic fumes, so just being in the house is not dangerous.

The poison is harmful only if it enters the mucous membranes – in the mouth, nose, eyes.

Toxic juice circulates throughout the plant, so all parts are poisonous. Especially a lot of toxins in tubers.

When any damage to leaves or branches from the wound immediately begins to ooze a white thick liquid. It is this that poses the greatest danger. An allergic reaction can also be caused by pollen from the flowers of the plant.

How a plant affects children

An adult is unlikely to intentionally gnaw on the leaves of a plant, but children may be wondering what a flower tastes like.

For a baby, the consequences of such a “meeting” with the flower can be expressed in the following:

  1. Allergic reactions (urticaria, rash, lacrimation, runny nose, wheezing);
  2. Chemical burns on the skin in redness;
  3. When swallowed – stomach upset, nausea, pain in the abdomen;
  4. When juice enters the eyes – lacrimation, conjunctivitis, damage to the lining of the eye per.

Symptoms of severe poisoning: abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, fever, loose stools, sometimes hallucinations and loss of consciousness.

If pollen gets on the mucous membranes, it is required urgent hospitalization, because without treatment, the decrease in visual acuity can become irreversible.

How the plant affects animals

On cats

Cats have a constant need for fresh herbs. Many make up for it by gnawing potted plants. Toxic juice entering the animal’s stomach causes severe poisoning.

An attentive owner will immediately notice that something is wrong with the pet. The cat screams, lays on its front paws, tears it, foam comes out of its mouth.

The further outcome depends on the dose received. In any case, she must be urgently taken to the veterinarian for gastric lavage.

Important!The degree of intoxication directly depends on the time that elapses from the moment of poisoning. The washing and adsorbents received by the animal in the first hour will save his life. Otherwise, death is possible.

For dogs

Dogs do not feel the need to eat greens in the house, but they are playful in nature. This is especially true for small puppies – they gnaw everything that catches their eye.

Zamioculcus leaves can attract a shaggy mischief, he will start to bite and pull them, so poisonous substances get into his mouth and stomach.

Ставьте цветы в недоступные для животных места

Place flowers in places inaccessible to animals

The symptoms of poisoning are the same as in cats – pain, vomiting, foam at the mouth, tremor. The animal needs the help of a veterinarian immediately.

You can avoid problems if you put a flowerpot with a flower higher, where the pet will not jump. With a cat, such a “trick” will not work, but it will be enough for a dog.

On birds

There have been recorded cases of poisoning of parrots with zamioculcus venom. These curious birds sometimes peck plants – out of interest or out of boredom.

The danger is that it is impossible to wash the toxin from their stomach – washing will kill the feathered bird rather than the poison itself. They have a completely different digestive system and do not have a bladder, so they will have to save the parrot differently.

At the first symptoms of poisoning:

  • An adsorbent diluted in water – activated carbon, Enterosgel, Karbolen, Sorbeks is poured into the beak with a syringe without a needle.
  • After an hour you need give a laxative – a decoction of flax seeds, or Glauber’s salt. When vomiting, a parrot is dripped into the beak with 1 drop of Cerucal.
  • Next, you need only a plentiful drink.

If the dose of the toxin is low, the bird will most likely recover.

First aid in case of poisoning

If poisonous juice enters the stomach, an ambulance must be urgently called in and while it is in the process of washing it.

For adults, it is possible to drink a solution of potassium permanganate and cause vomiting. The volume of liquid is selected individually – 300 ml is enough for one, and 1 liter or more is needed for the other.

After copious vomiting, you need to drink Smecta or activated charcoal and go to bed. The absorbent will prevent further absorption of the poison into the blood, the condition will gradually improve.

Toxins are excreted from the body with liquid, so try to drink water as often as possible.

If the child is poisoned with Zamioculcus venom, it is best to take it immediately to the clinic. This is especially true for children under 5 years old.

It is forbidden to rinse their stomach on their own! You can only aggravate a serious condition.

Further intoxication will also require professional medical attention to remove it correctly and without consequences.

Death

Сок растения может нанести неисправимый вред организму

Juice plants can cause irreparable harm to the body

If the poison enters the body of a small allergic child, or a person with an acute individual reaction becomes a victim of the toxin, death can occur.

It all depends on the volume substance that has entered the stomach. It is hardly possible to die from one or two leaves.

Important! The risk of death is excluded only with timely actions to remove the poison from the body. If you do nothing, then even a small dose of toxin can cause serious harm. Internal organs, especially the kidneys and liver, can be damaged irreversibly.

How to prevent poisoning

Any manipulations with zamioculcus must be carried out with gloves. Even if pruning is not planned, the leaf may accidentally break off and poisonous juice will fall onto the skin.

Do not touch the eyes and mouth while working with the plant. Hands after the procedure are thoroughly washed with soap and wiped dry.

It is better not to keep the flower at home where there are small children and cats. It is simply removed from the dogs higher.

If one of the family members has an allergy of any etiology, the flower must also be discarded. Even pollen can cause an unpredictable reaction.

Useful videos

All plants from the Aroid family carry a certain danger – poisonous juice. Therefore, they require careful handling. However, observing the rules of self-defense during transplantation and pruning, you can keep zamioculcas in the house without fear of poisoning. But you can’t neglect the rules so as not to risk your health and life.

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Anna Evans

Author ✓ Farmer

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