LorieAHuston

Chris is absolutely right. The poinsettia causes gastrointestinal irritation, which can cause excess salivation and vomiting. It is NOT considered to be an extremely toxic plant. It's toxicity has been and continues to be overrated.

Chris is also right that Pet Care at Suite101.com is not a veterinarian-run website. However, I am the current Feature Writer for Pet Care at Suite101.com and I am a veterinarian, practicing veterinary medicine since 1986. (The article quoted was written by a contributing author, not by me and I have no control over other articles published there. That being said, I do not disagree with Ms. Dawson's article as she states, as does Chris, that the sap of the poinsettia is an irritant.) Feel free to research my credentials if you feel the need: Lorie Huston, licensed and practicing in Rhode Island. My license info is here: https://healthri.mylicense.com/Verification/Details.aspx?agency_id=1&license_id=111236&

Would I recommend feeding poinsettia plants to your dog or cat? Of course not! And I don't believe that Chris would either. That does not mean, however, that she is incorrect about the poinsettia as a toxic plant. At best, poinsettias should be thought of as mildly toxic. Perhaps not completely safe for our pets, but not likely to cause life-threatening toxicities in an otherwise healthy pet, either.

By the way, the poinsettia toxicity page for the ASPCA Poison Control Center is here: http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/plants/poinsettia.html. It also states that poinsettia toxicity is over-rated.

I hope this helps to clarify the poinsettia toxicity debate for pet owners.