Elephant ear plants are a popular landscaping plant with broad, flat, green leaves. Use 1 … Unfortunately, the peace lily is poisonous to dogs and cats, especially the Mauna Loa variety. In fact, elephant ears are so large for a different reason than many people guess. If your dog decides to take a nibble of this vegetation, the act of chewing or biting releases the crystals, which penetrate his tissues, leading to symptoms such as drooling, pawing at the face, foaming at the mouth and vomiting. Any bath is beneficial….thus the myriad of anecdotal reports! Elephant ears, the common name for three distinct species of plants, are grown for their attractive foliage. Typical symptoms include excessive drooling, choking, difficulty swallowing, dyspnea, intense burning and irritation of mouth, tongue and lips, oral irritation and vomiting. The Elephant Ears is poisonous for both cats and dogs. In fact, elephant ears are an important food source in warm climates around the world. But not only is it bad for your plant collection, it can be fatal for your pets, and few things are more devastating for families than to see their pet killed in such a preventable mistake. 12 Years. Treatment includes a calcium-containing neutralizer, such as milk, or a vet-prescribed antihistamine, anti-inflammatory or antacid. Oct 16, 2009 #3 Wolf-Kim Songster. Distinguished by their white flowers, these tropical plants grow best in shade and can really add some flair to your home during their blooming period. Tip. Giant elephant ear (Colocasia gigantea) and Taro (Colocasia esculenta) are plants in the Colocasia family that both get referred to as elephant ears. 2. They are herbaceous perennials in warm climates. Any time this plant is chewed on or bitten into, crystals are released. Additional name for this plant include Caladium, Cocoyam, Malanga, Tannia, Tanier and Yautia. 11 Years. Elephant ears contain insoluble calcium oxalate crystals, toxic to dogs and cats. I have a chocolate lab that tries to eat everything new in the yard, and I want to landscape in spite of her. The common elephant ear can grow up to 9 feet (2.7 m.) tall though, while Taro, only grows to about 4 feet (1.2 m.). The itch is extreme and the odour can be especially troublesome. Lots of houseplant gardeners have watched their prized plants get destroyed by hungry dogs and cats—anyone who’s ever lost a specimen to their dog knows how infuriating it can be. Off to the power of google! These plants are filled with calcium oxalate crystals that are insoluble. These heart-shaped leaves can be quite showy and make the plant ideal for a corner or as a centerpiece, but if ingested they will cause severe irritation and pain in any contacted areas, as well as digestive trouble. Just make sure they’re not accessible to your pets. There are many species of the plant that are popular as both houseplants and outdoor plants in tropical or semitropical regions. They are a popular food staple in many counties such in African, Oceanic and South Asian cultures. Other signs of elephant ear poisoning include loss of appetite and swelling of the … Relatively few cat fatalities have been reported due to elephant ear poisoning, however, it can happen. This brightly colored genus of tropical plants blooms vibrant displays; the upper and lower sides of their leaves are different colors, and their usually pink and purple flowers are quite lovely. But, since so many people use the incorrect term, we will use it here to avoid confusion. Total Ear Canal Ablation and Ventral Bulla Osteotomy (TECA) for End-Stage Ears in Dogs and Cats. These heart-shaped leaves can be quite showy and make the plant ideal for a corner or as a centerpiece, but if ingested they will cause severe irritation and pain in any contacted areas, as well as digestive trouble. Toxic Calcium Oxalate. Often a dog starts with a rash or with simple itching but the skin thickens to an "elephant" skin appearance. Elephant's-ear poisoning: Introduction. ", 9 Popular Houseplants That Are Toxic to Dogs, 7 Indoor Plants That Are Dangerous to Children & Pets, How to Grow and Care for the Yesterday-Today-and-Tomorrow Plants, How to Grow Kalanchoe daigremontiana (Mother of Thousands), 9 Popular Houseplants That Are Toxic to Cats, Amazon Elephant's Ear Plant Profile (African Mask). This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Elephant ears, a member of the caladium family, are large showy leafed plants. The large ears act as an air-conditioner MYTH: Carbohydrates or sugar in your dog’s diet will “feed” the yeast and cause infections! Elephant Ears are tropical plants in the family Araceae. Get it free when you sign up for our newsletter. Treating your Yard for Fleas and Ticks. This flowering plant has large, wide leaves, which inspired its alternate name of "elephant ear." Many of the elephant ear varieties are poisonous if consumed by humans, dogs or cats. Aloe, which has lots of positive medicinal uses, can paradoxially be quite toxic if your pets eat it. Some common plants – including Elephant’s Ear, Philodendron and Chinese Evergreen – are poisonous to cats and dogs. Sanitize your shears before and after cutting elephant ears, or any other plants in the garden, to keep possible diseases from spreading. The best way to deal with fleas is prevention. The following houseplants do offer lots of advantages and are commonly grown by many gardeners, but they are poisonous to your animals and if you keep pets you should exercise caution. Elephant ear (also known as caladium, taro, pai, ape, cape, via, via sori, and malanga) contains a chemical similar to the one in dieffenbachia, so an animal’s toxic reaction to elephant ear is similar: oral irritation, increased salivation, difficulty swallowing, and vomiting. 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