Is the yew poisonous? All information for humans and animals

Yew trees - botanically known as Taxus baccata - are extremely easy to care for. In the right location, a regular cut is sufficient for the crop. Fertilization and watering are only required in very few cases. The yew trees are suitable as solitary plants and as opaque hedges and can reach heights of up to 20 meters. But is it safe or is the yew tree poisonous? All information for humans and animals can be found here.

Toxicity

Toxic or not?

All parts of the Taxus baccata are highly poisonous. Except for the pulp that envelops the seeds. The toxic effect of the toxins contained can lead to death in both humans and animals. After ingesting the seeds, bark or needles, people can come to cardiac arrest within an hour and a half.

On the one hand, an alkaloid mixture called taxine is responsible for this. This occurs in the plant parts of the yew tree in different concentrations depending on the season. The content is highest in autumn and winter. In addition, cyanogenic glycosides are present in the parts of the plant. These are widespread plant toxins and lead to hydrocyanic acid intoxication.

Critical dose

The toxic or critical dose of yew needles, seeds or bark for humans and animals cannot be precisely determined. Responsible for this is on the one hand the level of toxic ingredients, which fluctuates over the year. On the other hand, body weight and species determine how quickly and strongly the toxins act.

However, some orientation values ​​can still be found:

• Tortoises are very sensitive, and a few yew needles can be fatal
• for dogs there is an undifferentiated indication of 30 grams of yew needles
• for cattle, sheep and goats ten grams of the needles per kilogram of body weight are said to be fatal
• Horses can die within five minutes of ingesting 100 to 200 grams of the poisonous plant parts
• in humans the lethal dose is assumed to be 50 to 100 grams of the needles

It should be noted that these are only rough guidelines. The information on the critical dose for dogs alone makes it clear that two kilograms are lighter Chihuahua and a 90 kilogram mastiff are unlikely to react in an absolutely comparable way to the same dose will. In addition, there are also age, physical constitution and any previous illnesses.

In addition, if parts of the plant were accidentally picked up from the yew hedge, this was only found in the rarest of cases the amount of needles, greens, seeds and the toxins actually contained actually get into the body are.

For people and animals

As mentioned, all parts of the plant in the yew hedge are poisonous for humans and animals. So far it is clear that the toxins in the plants have a toxic effect on the following animal species.

• Mammals
• Birds
• Reptiles

Especially in horses, Taxus baccata seems to be highly poisonous and quickly fatal. One possible reason for this impression, however, is that clippings from the yew tree were discarded unnoticed in the pasture and it is therefore unclear when exactly the needles were picked up. This is precisely where there is a problem and a greater danger for animals to poison themselves on the yew tree. Since they could regard the greens, the bark and also the berries as food, the toxins are absorbed more quickly. This is especially true of herbivores. Cats and dogs are not safe from this either.

If they chew on the needles or twigs or bite into them while playing, they can absorb the toxins without eating large amounts of parts of the plant.

Symptoms of poisoning

Signs of yew poisoning in humans include the following.

• Nausea and vomiting
• diarrhea
• dizziness
• stomach pain
• Dilatation of the pupils
• Acceleration of pulse and breathing up to a racing heart, later weakening
• Red discoloration of the lips
• unconsciousness
• cramps
• falling body temperature

For animals

In animals, the symptoms can be as follows:

• profuse salivation, foam at the mouth
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Cystitis with an increased need to urinate
• severe inflammation of the stomach and intestines
• Disorientation, dizziness and staggering
• Circulatory collapse
• accelerated breathing, later breathing difficulties up to standstill
• Palpitations, followed by a weak, slow pulse

First aid

Even if there is only the suspicion that parts of the yew tree have been ingested, an emergency doctor should be called immediately or a veterinarian or a veterinary clinic should be informed. Since the parts of the yew or yew hedge are highly poisonous and quickly fatal, immediate action is essential.

Medical charcoal can be given as a first aid measure. This absorbs at least some of the toxins. Even then, however, the poisoning must be viewed as an extreme emergency.

prevention

One of the simplest preventive measures against poisoning by the yew tree is to avoid planting it on your own property. That way, at least the garden is safe. In the case of existing Taxus baccata plants in their own green, the following preventive measures can reduce the risk of poisoning.

• Do not leave offcuts from the yew hedge exposed and do not add them to the compost
• in the case of yew trees at the property boundary, indicate the toxicity if necessary
• if possible remove flowers and / or fruits and dispose of them safely
• Do not allow animals to roam in the vicinity of yew trees, protect enclosures and pastures from falling needles
• Point out the toxicity of the plants to children
• Have medical charcoal ready in the medicine cabinet
• Remove fallen needles, twigs and fruits

Sources:

• https://www.botanikus.de/Botanik3/Ordnung/Eibe/eibe.html
• http://www.botanik.univie.ac.at/hbv/download/ib_taxus_baccata.pdf
• http://www.gifte.de/Giftpflanzen/taxus_baccata.htm
• https://www.spektrum.de/lexikon/ernaehrung/cyanogene-glycoside/1854