Thanks the adams. Pointsettia plants are dangerous too. Keep them out of reach of pets and children.
I'm sure we need no reminder that poultry bones are a big no-no for pets. Happy Holidays.

almost ALL houseplants are dangerous. and as I have close to 60, let me tell ya I have been really having difficulties! Deffinbachia and Philodenderon are another two that are really bad (okay I cannot spell poison with a ess for the life of me) for your pets. all you with birds out of cages really need to watch that, also as a side note, cigarette smoke and the smoke from snuffing out a candle will kill birds as well. I have never hung mistletoe, but did not know it was dangerous, good to know. at least that is not a plant I have to look up!!

Among other dangerous holiday items: stringy tinsel strands, ornament hooks, (also bad for tots!) and chocolate.
And I once had a dopey cat that actually ate cactus... repeatedly. That's nuts. No plant is safe from cats.

micke - I hear your pain, lol! Incase you didn't know: The website I linked to in my OP is to the Animal Poison Control Center. On their website you will find 2 lists; one for toxic & the other for non toxic plants. And supposedly if you have a question on a plant that isn't listed you can e-mail/call and they will help you out.

Also, if you become a free member they will send you a magnet which is great to have on the fridge as they are avaliable with vets 24 hours. In a poisoning situation sometimes there is things that you can and should do before rushing off to the vet. For example, where I live we have Colorado River Toads. Extremly poisonous, if your pet comes in contact with one it is best to take a hose and flush their mouth out for a good while. If you were to just rush to the vet your animal is becoming more and more infected every minute.

Take Care All!

Poinsettias are not poisonous, that is an urban legend that won't die.

Here is a link that might be useful: poinsettia myth

http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/p/poinsettias.htm

The American Veterinary Medicine Association of America (AVMA), doesn't include poinsettias on its list of plants that are a threat to animals.

* Research conducted at The Ohio State University conclusively proved that all parts of the poinsettia are non-toxic to both humans and pets.
* According to POISINDEX®, the information resource used by the majority of poison control centers around the country, a 50-pound child would have to eat 500-600 poinsettia leaves to surpass the experimental doses that showed no toxicity.

* In addition, a study released last year by Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University found that out of that out of nearly 23,000 poinsettia exposures reported to poison control centers nationwide, there was essentially no toxicity of significance of any kind.

Here is a link that might be useful: Snopes poinsettia page

I also checked the ASPCA for poinsettias, they weren't on either of their lists. (Toxic or non toxic)

I wonder if perhaps they are an irritant? Plants can be an irritant without being listed as poisonous.

They taste beyond terrible. Yes, I've eaten them. Several times.

Nothing is going to eat enough to cause irritation unless they are starving. Even then, they are so bitter and sour. I'm sure they would cause irritation. Almost anything can cause irritation/gastric distress if you eat enough though....

Cats and dogs eat grass when they feel gastic distress to help them throw up or eliminate

Horses can die from too much grain/apples or other rich foods.

buyorsell888, My curiosity has got the best of me LOL : )
Why did you try tasting poinsettias? I thought i was the only one going around trying plants i know are'nt poison.

With some puppies that like to chew on everything you've got to watch out for electrical
cords.
oakleif

I have a friend who lines up scores of poinsettias each year around her christmas tree in her living room...and each year, I have chastised her for doing so. She always says, "Dillinger (cat) chews on these plants all season and she's not dead yet!" I always thought she was being irresponsible, now I know she was right!

Thank you so much for pointing that out to me, no I didn't know that was a link leading to toxic and non toxic plants, you just helped me out tremendously! much appreciated, I had also heard the pothos were NOT toxic and this list states it is, I have 6 of them, one draped all around a flower cart on the floor, gotta move it, my Shih Tzu never bothers any of my stuff never has, but my sons tiny Chihuahua sometimes gets some spit and vinegar going, would hate for her to run by and rip some of it off when she is playing.
thanks again!

I tasted them because I was a florist for over twenty years and every year someone would chastize me for having them on display where somone's child could eat them and die....

Pothos, Epipremnum aureum, really isn't toxic. Philodendrons ARE and many lists/people don't realize that Pothos is NOT a Philodendron. Would not hurt to move it, Chihuahuas are so small, I'm sure it would cause irritation if eaten, It is an Ariod and they can in general, cause irritation.

Dieffenbachias are too. Their common name is Dumb Cane, my friend thought it would be cool to not be able to talk so he chewed part of a Dieffenbachia leaf. NOT a good idea. His throat swelled and he bawled like a baby from the pain. No lasting effects though, this was 1980 and I talked to him the other day. It sure was stupid.

So many lists don't use Latin names or don't accurately identify plants.

A really big issue as far as holiday plants goes besides Mistletoe which certainly is toxic are Easter Lilies and cats.

Cats think they are grass and they can kill a cat. It doesn't seem to be a problem in the garden as far as outdoor cats but cats who are indoor only and who feel like they need grass will chew on Easter Lily leaves. Better to not have them if you have indoor only cats.

when I first started looking up my plants, I too thought my pothos were philodenderons, that is what everyone around me called them including my grandma who was a avid gardener, wonder how that got started?

dumb cane....is that mother's-in-law tongue?? I know if you eat that your throat and tongue can swell up.

mother-in-law's tongue is Sansevaria trifasciata and yes, it is toxic. It is also known as snake plant.

Not the same as dumb cane (Dieffenbachia) but has similar symptoms after ingestion.

Pothos and the heart leafed Philo do look similar and have simlar care requirements. Mostly, the correct botanical latin just isn't used, even by growers. You can still find pothos tagged Scindapsis and that name is decades old.