Welcome to another Monday morning edition of the a-z of plants that really don’t like your horse. Today’s plant is one most will recognize, and it’s a rather broad category of plant. Rhododendrons come in all shapes, sized & colors & they are as beautiful as they are dangerous.
A Little About Rhododendrons
Rhododendron species have a huge list of common names. This is a large evergreen or deciduous shrub/ tree with large, oblong leaves that grow in a spiral arrangement. Flowers are white/ purple/ rose/ red/ yellow/ orange & grow in showy clusters of bell shaped blooms.
How Dangerous Is It?
This plant isn’t often found near grazing areas & is not palatable, it’s generally only a concern during drought conditions. Rhododendron contains Grayanotoxin, which affects skeletal/ cardiac muscle & nerve function.
All parts of this plant are toxic & can be fatal to equines.
What To Look For
You know your animal the best, so you should know when something is amiss. Rhododendron toxicity symptoms occur within a few hours of ingestion & include digestive upset, drooling, loss of appetite, diarrhea, colic, depression, weakness, lack of coordination, stupor, paralysis of the legs & weak heart rate.
Learn More
Be sure to check out the Rhododendron page to learn more about the plant & while you are at it why not check out more toxic plants?
*It should be noted that we’re not veterinarians. This information is written specifically for horses & should be used for reference purposes only. If you think your horse has eaten something toxic call your vet right away.