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Azalea poisoning in a dog | VETgirl Veterinary CE Videos

In this VETgirl online veterinary continuing education video, we discuss azalea toxicosis in dogs. Azaleas and rhododendrons, common landscaping shrubs, contain grayanotoxins which bind to sodium channels and increase their permeability, resulting in prolonged depolarization of the cardiac muscle. All parts of the plant are considered toxic, and reported ingestion of 0.2% of an animal’s body weight can result in signs (That’s a lot for a dog or cat; more severe clinical signs are typically seen in large animals chronically grazing on this poisonous plant, in VETgirl’s, opinion!).

Clinical signs of azaleas include gastrointestinal signs (such as anorexia, drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain), cardiovascular signs (such as brady- or tachycardia, arrhythmias, hypotension), and less commonly, CNS signs (such as lethargy,  transient blindness, tremors, seizures, coma, etc.).

Treatment is aimed at decontamination, if appropriate (such as emesis induction and administration of 1 dose of activated charcoal with a cathartic), along with anti-emetic therapy, IV fluid therapy (to aid in perfusion and help treat hypotension, if present), and anti-arrhythmias. Atropine can be used for bradycardia if hypotension is present, and lidocaine or procainamide can be used for ventricular dysrhythmias. Symptomatic supportive care, along with vital sign monitoring and blood pressure/ECG monitoring, is imperative. Overall, the prognosis is fair to excellent with treatment.

When in doubt, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center should be called for life-saving advice.

ASPCA logo Nov 2015

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