Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Signs and outcomes of castor bean poisoning in dogs
By Albretsen, J C et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2000·American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals-National Animal Poison Control Center, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Evaluation of castor bean toxicosis in dogs: 98 cases.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs was brought in after eating castor beans, which contain a toxic substance called ricin. The most common symptoms observed were vomiting, diarrhea, and depression. In some cases, the dogs became very ill, and unfortunately, 9% of them had to be euthanized or died due to the toxicity. The severity of their symptoms often depended on whether the dogs chewed the beans or swallowed them whole. It's crucial for pet owners to keep castor beans away from their dogs to prevent serious health issues.
People also search for: dog vomiting after eating castor beans · symptoms of dog poisoning · what to do if my dog ate something toxic
Abstract
Castor beans (Ricinus communis) contain ricin. Ricin is a glycoprotein reported to cause hypotension, gastroenteritis, depression, and death. However, few deaths are reported following castor bean ingestion in animals. From January 1987 to December 1998, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals-National Animal Poison Control Center received 98 incidents of castor bean ingestion in dogs. The most commonly reported clinical signs were vomiting, depression, and diarrhea. Death or euthanasia occurred in 9% of the cases. The severity of clinical signs following castor bean ingestion may depend on whether the beans were chewed or swallowed whole.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10825094/