Is the efeutute poisonous to children & pets? Risks and Measures

The one from tropical Asia Efeutute is a popular houseplant. This evergreen plant from the arum family is available in several cultivation forms. It lives as a climbing plant and forms heart-shaped leaves and the characteristic aerial roots. Due to its low demands on light, water and fertilizer, it usually thrives well even in people without green fingers. As tempting as this modesty sounds, it should be used with great caution, especially in households with children or pets.

Toxicity

Chemical information on the ingredients

Did you know that all arum plants, and therefore also the efeututen, contain toxins? From the giant titan arum to the spear blades popular in the aquarium hobby, you should therefore always be careful when touching arum plants. Every part of the plant can be your undoing, so it is best to enjoy the beauty of these plants from a distance.

For pets

Efeututen are poisonous for all pets. This applies to dogs, cats, small animals (rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, etc ...) and birds.

The same applies to small animals as to babies:

As soon as the pots are set up at a higher location, these animals are no longer at risk from the plant sap. In the case of birds, it is only necessary to ensure that the plant is moved to another room before it can fly free.

dogs and cats

The procedure for dogs and cats is not that simple. Cats in particular tend to enjoy chewing on indoor plants. In addition, practically every corner of an apartment, right up to tall cupboards, can be reached with ease. In the interests of the health of your pets, you should therefore refrain from caring for efeututes, especially in a cat household.

Some dogs also like to chew on plants or jump on furniture, but both behaviors are nowhere near as common as in cats. Ultimately, you know your animal roommate best and can decide whether he likes plants or not. But if you have the slightest doubt, then you should remove any efeututes from the shared apartment in this case as well.

Toxin

The arum plants contain high amounts of calcium oxalate, a salt of oxalic acid. While both compounds can be found in almost all plants and therefore also in our food, it is the high concentration in this family that makes them poisonous for humans and animals. The hot substance aroin, which is even named after them, can also be found in the arum plants.

Poisonous effect

Mode of action of the poison

When it came into contact with the skin, the sap caused skin irritation and inflammation. Swallowing parts of plants has a much worse effect. The following symptoms then become noticeable in both humans and animals.

• nausea
• Vomit
• diarrhea
• Headache
• Racing heart
• dizziness
• up to fainting in particularly severe cases

Depending on the amount ingested, the weight and previous illnesses of the patient, the effects of the poisoning can vary in severity. While the ingestion is rather mild in a healthy adult, Efeutute can be very dangerous, especially for babies and smaller pets.

First aid

First aid for symptoms of poisoning

children

If you, your children or your pets come into contact with the sap of the efeutute, seek medical advice immediately. Depending on the severity of the poisoning, the following telephone numbers are important for initial contact.

• From Germany: Poison control center Bonn 0228/19 240
• From Austria: Poison Information Center 01/406 4343
• From Switzerland: Tox Info Suisse 145
• International Euro Emergency Call: 112

Make sure to mention which plant (Efeutute or Efeutute) on the phone. Epipremnum) it concerns who is affected (age, weight, previous illnesses), when and how much has already been taken and which symptoms are visible. In any case, be sure to keep calm!

animals

In the event of poisoning of pets, please contact your veterinarian immediately.

Plant care

Be careful with plant care

The efeutute enjoys great popularity mainly because it is easy to care for and also to reproduce. New plants can be grown quickly with simple cuttings. But there is also a not insignificant danger creeping in here.

• Note that all parts of the plant are poisonous!

In particular, the sap should be avoided. Contact with the skin or even ingestion of the sap or parts of the plant can lead to health problems. So always wear gloves when caring for plants.

Precautions

Precautions to avoid poisoning

However, you should not do without animals in the common household with animals and children then please be careful that they do not come into contact with the plants can. Place the pot in an inaccessible place, preferably high up or in rooms that are not accessible to the animals or animals. Are not accessible to children.

You should always remove fallen leaves immediately. Also, make sure that no liquid drips off the leaves. This is not water, but the poisonous sap of the plant. This can be fatal especially for crawling babies. Don't forget that babies like to put everything in their mouths. Due to its low weight, however, the efeutute is particularly poisonous for them.

Aquaristics

Efeututen in the aquarium hobby

After all the bad news, a positive quality of the Efeutute should also be mentioned at the end. Experienced aquarists like to use this plant, which all other pet owners tend to shy away from. Pots with ivy are placed over open basins to allow the aerial roots to protrude into the aquarium. These contribute significantly to improving the water quality, and in a purely biological way. The sap is not dangerous to fish in this constellation.

However, the following also applies here:

If there are other pets or children in the same household, you should pay attention to the above information or, if in doubt, refrain from caring for animals.

Sources:

http://www.gizbonn.de/285.0.html

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Efeutute

https://www.botanikus.de/Botanik3/Ordnung/Efeutute/efeutute.html