Table of contents
- Ferns: toxicity and protective measures
- Poisonous fern for cats
- Fern: Toxicity to dogs
- Germany's most poisonous fern species
- Signs of poisoning in animals
- Symptoms of fern poisoning
Ferns have been growing on earth for 400 million years. They still have an original appearance today. The plants feel at home in shady places with a lot of moisture. Due to their lush growth and sometimes extravagant shapes, some types of ferns are suitable as indoor plants. Make sure that children and pets do not come into contact with the plants.
Ferns: toxicity and protective measures
Ferns are popular indoor plants due to their tropical-looking fronds. For families with children and pet owners, the cultivation of the plant requires caution. Ferns give off spores that cause symptoms of poisoning when ingested. Unlike other plants, ferns do not form flowers. They reproduce exclusively through the spores, which also contain toxins.
- Numerous types of ferns endanger human and animal health
- The strength of the toxic effect depends on the species
- Symptoms of poisoning range from nausea to cardiac arrest
Lady fern is one of the eyelash fern plants and is divided into 170 to 200 genera. In the house and in the garden you keep, for example, rainbow fern or the forest lady fern. This deciduous fern contains toxic Filix compounds.
- Toxins produce severe reactions in lower animals
- Dangers for pets from symptoms of poisoning, such as vomiting, diarrhea
- Filix active ingredients are generally harmless for adults
- Children face a slight to moderate risk of poisoning after eating the leaves
Do you keep cats or dogs in your apartment? Keep in mind that lady ferns endanger the health of your animals. Indoor cats in particular tend to examine and nibble on indoor plants. Ferns are particularly tempting because of their broad fronds. There are few types of ferns where the animals eat the tips of the fronds without any problem. These include, for example, the Cheilanthes tomentosa (rock fern) and the Cystopteris fragilis (fragile bladder fern).
Poisonous fern for cats
The lady fern, which is largely harmless to humans, leads to serious symptoms of poisoning in domestic cats. A few bites on the stalk or fronds of the athyrium - the botanical name - are enough to cause diarrhea or vomiting. Sensitive cats react to the toxins with increased salivation. This already happens when they inhale the spores of the fern. You will notice personality changes in an animal exposed to the irritation over a longer period of time.
- Fern poisoning causes the cat to behave in a lethargic, dazed manner
- Sensitive animals react to poisonous spores
- Dilated pupils as the first symptom of fern poisoning
The danger of a toxic reaction decreases in free-roaming cats. Her instinct warns her not to eat the fern. Therefore, you do not necessarily have to remove the plants from the garden. Inside the apartment it is important to place room ferns in closed rooms. Cats are great climbers and can climb any closet with ease. An elevated position of the fern does not provide protection for the animal. Therefore, place indoor ferns in places that your indoor cat cannot reach. In a closed conservatory, the plants receive sufficient sunlight and a pleasant climate. In addition, the locked door effectively keeps children and pets away.
Fern: Toxicity to dogs
The majority of indoor ferns, including lady ferns, also prove to be harmful to dogs. If the animal ingests the frond tips orally, symptoms of poisoning such as:
- lethargy
- Diarrhea
- bloated stomach
The animals often vomit swallowed parts of the plant. This is a natural defense reaction of the body. If you notice your dog is suffering from fern poisoning, contact the veterinarian immediately. However, there is no antidote to the incompatible substances in the plants.
Therefore, the veterinarian stabilizes your dog's circulation and only treats the symptoms. To avoid toxic reactions, cultivate low-toxic ferns in your home. These include, for example, rib fern (Blechnum spicant) and maidenhair fern (Venus hair, Adiantum capillus-veneris). Both types are harmless to humans and animals.
Germany's most poisonous fern species
A common fern in German forests is the bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum). It is the most poisonous representative of the ferns. Its spores contain the enzyme thiaminase, which is considered to be bone-damaging and carcinogenic. In addition, contact with the leaves is toxic. They contain the hydrocyanic acid glycosides and toxic saponin.
- Freshly sprouting leaves lead to severe symptoms of poisoning in humans and animals after consumption
- Entire plant has toxins
- In the worst case, even small amounts of the poison have a fatal effect on small children and lower animals
The bracken fern reaches an average height of up to two meters - more rarely up to four meters. That is why it is one of the most popular ornamental plants in the home. Be sure to keep your offspring and pets away from the plant. Fern toxicity affects the entire plant. There is a risk of health complications when eating the fronds and the stalk. In small children, puppies and kittens, inhaling the spores is enough to cause poisoning reactions.
Even young bracken shoots contain dangerous toxins. In adulthood, the plant produces more toxins. These include the unstable glycoside ptaquiloside. The severity of toxic reactions caused by bracken depends on the part of the plant consumed, the quantity and the time of year.
Signs of poisoning in animals
If horses, goats or pigs ingest the bracken with their food, for example when grazing, it triggers a vitamin B1-decomposing effect. This causes the enzyme thiaminase. Affected animals suffer from disorders of the central nervous system (CNS). You will notice that they have a slowed down or disturbed movement sequence as well as other motor disorders. Bracken has a more serious effect on cattle. Oral intake causes visible reactions within a short period of time. This includes bleeding in the mouth and nose. In addition, blood leaks from the metabolic organs. The red body fluid is found in the stool or urine of livestock. In this case, veterinarians speak of “blood urine”.
- Bracken fern in cattle long-term cause of bladder and colon cancer
- Aboveground parts of the plant remain toxic after drying
- Milk from poisoned cows as a danger to humans
In small vertebrates such as cats and rabbits, bracken consumption leads to blindness or the occurrence of cancer. At the same time, a circulatory shock is an acute threat to life.
Tip:
The bracken fern is the most poisonous fern in Germany. If it settles in your garden or on the pasture, fight it by digging it up or mowing it down. Alternatively, the use of herbicides is suitable to protect children and pets from the toxic bracken fern.
Symptoms of fern poisoning
If people come into contact with the bracken and ingest spores, for example, symptoms of poisoning set in quickly. Characteristic signs of a toxic reaction include:
- Vomit
- stomach pain
- Diarrhea
- motor disorders
- fainting
- cardiac insufficiency
- visual disturbances
- Movement disorders
- breathing problems
In addition to the bracken, the male fern (Dryopteris) is one of the poisonous fern species. Used incorrectly as a remedy in earlier times, even a small amount of the plant leads to death after ingestion. In livestock, 100 grams of male fern is enough to cause life-threatening complications. The rootstock and stalks of young shoots in particular are highly toxic.
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