We bought mistletoe for our christmas party this weekend, and we own dogs. What should I be informed on so the dogs don’t get hurt regarding the mistletoe? (This mistletoe is in the U.S.)
Doesn’t matter where it is – the leaves and berries of mistletoe are poisonous to both dogs and humans if ingested. It contains viscotoxins, a class of phytotoxins that have a hypotensive activity and slow the heart beat. Mistletoe poisoning is more common in children than adults (most adults know better than to eat plants and berries they find on the floor) . Dogs become poisoned generally through ingesting berries that drop from where the mistletoe is hung into the floor. Though it usually takes more than a couple of berries to cause poisoning, smaller dogs have lower toxicity levels and there’s never a ’safe’ amount of berries to eat for any dog.
Make sure any mistletoe is hung out of the dogs’ reach, that they aren’t allowed to linger under it, and that you pick up any dropped leaves and berries as soon as you see them. Oversights happen; I’d advise keeping the dogs away from the decorated area if possible, and that you remove the mistletoe as soon as the party is over. (Make sure you don’t compost or dump it anywhere outside where the dogs roam.
http://www.provet.co.uk/health/diseases/mistletoe.htm
A list of symptoms to watch out for if you’re mixing dogs and poisonous plants.