If you are on this page on What to do if your dog eats a pine cone? Either you are looking for a solution or trying to prevent your dog from having an unpleasant experience. Most people think that pine cone is bad or poisonous for the dog but in the real sense, are pine corn poisonous for dogs?
If you find out your dog eats pine cones, you don’t have to fret but rather observe to know if the effect is mild or severe before you call on your vet for examination. If you notice symptoms such as vomiting, lethargy, loss of appetite, diarrhea, nausea, drooling, excessive thirst, or urination, you should call your vet immediately.
There are two primary concerns regarding the dangers of accidentally ingesting pine cones. The first is reducing the side effect of the pine cone in the dog’s stomach. The second is preventing your dog from eating pine cones again in the future.
So, on this page, you will get to know more about the effect of pine cones on your dog, what to do if your dog eats pine cones and how to prevent or stop your dog from eating pine cones.
Are Pines Poisonous to Dogs?
Pines do not make good food for our dogs. They are not always poisonous to dogs, but there is a good chance they could be if the dog eats pine needles. Pines have a toxic component called andromedotoxin, which acts as a cardiac stimulant. It will cause the dog’s heart rate to increase, sometimes resulting in death.
The toxic components affect the heart’s health and cause significant damage to the nerve and muscle of the dog, thereby making it weak and numb. Despite the claim that pine cones are not poisonous to dogs, they cause more harm than good.
Also, apart from the toxic components, the pine cone comes with needles or sap, which can cause intestinal irritation and make your dog vomit. The sharp point of the needle can easily perforate your dog’s intestine and lead to an internal problem for the dog.
In addition, the sap will irritate the gastrointestinal tract and then make your dog feel sick, which can lead to diarrhea or vomiting. The pine cone and other things that come with it are so difficult to digest for a dog, and that is why you should never allow your dog to eat them.
Why is Your Dog Eating Pine Cones?
Dogs love to chew on any attractive food they find lying around. So, if you see your dog eating pine, it indicates that your dog is hungry or attracted to the pine cones. The sap in the pine cones has a scent that draws dogs’ attention.
Apart from the fact that pine cones have a juice that attracts dogs, it is part of their habit to pick up things on the floor and chew them. So, if your dog gets to see pine cones around, it will be so hard to resist the temptation of not picking it with their mouth.
Therefore, if you have pine cones around you, you might want to do away with them or create a barrier to stop your dog from having easy access to them.
Symptoms of Pine Cone Poisoning in Dogs
If your dog swallows a small number of pine cones, the chances that your dog will be found is high. However, if the consumption is on the high side, the effect of the pine cone will be severe on your dog, and you can get to notice through some signs and symptoms.
Not everyone knows the signs that come with eating pine cones for dogs. So, if you notice any of the signs below with your dog, you should check to confirm if your dog has consumed pine cones or not.
The symptoms include:
1. Lethargy
If you have a dog that has stopped eating and is lethargic, it could result from pine cone poisoning. When eaten, the seeds inside pine cones are poisonous to dogs. It contains a toxin called thujone, which can cause issues in the brain, including causing seizures and muscle tremors for your dog.
2. Loss of appetite
One of the symptoms of this condition includes the loss of appetite. Once you notice your dog that gets excited at the sight of food is not anymore, it is a sign that something is wrong.
3. Trouble walking
If your dog seems to be having trouble walking, it could be a result of pine cone poisoning. Essentially, this condition occurs in dogs who have eaten pine cones and their stomach seed. This condition can cause small red or brown spots on the skin and sometimes result in pain for your dog. You should keep an eye out for any pet with these symptoms, as it can be a sign of pine cone poisoning.
4. Vomiting
Vomiting is one of the top symptoms of dog pinecone poisonings because of bowel irritation. Also, Vomiting can start as early as 30 minutes or up to 2 hours after ingesting these pinecones, so once your dog starts expelling fluid in excess, you know it is a symptom of a pine cone in the dog system.
5. Throat swelling
The sap in the pine cone can be harmful to your dog’s health, and one common symptom is the swelling of the throat due to the sap entering your dog’s mouth and causing inflammation. You may first see a slight swelling under your dog’s tongue, or you may notice that you find it hard to swallow due to the swelling.
6. Drooling
Drooling is not just an annoying personal habit of your dog. It is a very serious symptom that should be treated immediately. Although there are many different reasons for the ailment, one major one might be eating pine cones.
7. Excessive thirst or urination
Signs of pine cone poisoning in dogs can include excessive thirst, leading to increased water consumption, or excessive urination into inappropriate places. If a dog is urinating excessively and shows signs of lethargy, weakness, and lack of appetite, the dog may be suffering from pine cone poisoning.
8. Diarrhea
Diarrhea can occur whenever your dog ingests pine needles and pine cone remnants. The outcome may be mild or severe, but abdominal discomfort is inevitable if a dog has ingested an abundance of pine needles.
What to Do if Your Dog Eats a Pine Cone?
You should always take action whenever your dog eats a pine cone. You should not take a chance to observe if the effect will be mild or severe because it might get worse than you think. So, you must take the right step or actions.
Observe the dog
If you are familiar with the way your dog acts, you get to easily know when something is wrong with your dog. Once you are sure your dog has some pine cones, you need to stay close to watch how the pine will react in the dog’s body.
If the dog has high immunity and you can see no signs or symptoms, it will die; you have nothing to worry about. It is possible that your dog didn’t eat the pine cone in abundance. However, if you start to notice the signs and symptoms of eating pine cones for dogs, you should be alert to take necessary actions.
Call your vet
Once you notice the signs and symptoms already discussed above, you need to call your vet. Your vet should put you through things that you can do to stabilize your dog to reduce the severity of the pine cone in the dog.
Once you can do all that the vet tells you to do, you can go ahead to get the dog to the vet for proper treatment. Most dogs have died due to eating pine cones, and your ability to stabilize your dog before getting it to the vet can play a great role in saving the dog from dying.
How to Stop a Dog From Eating Pine Cones?
Prevention is better than cure as the price and sacrifice for cure might be overwhelming. Therefore, there are some important things that you need to do to keep your dog from eating pine cones.
Make use of a leash
We see leashes on dogs to restrict their movement, and sometimes it is worth it a million times. Using a leash will help you keep a close tab on the dog. It helps you control the movement and determine where you want the dog to go.
Therefore, once the leash is on your dog, it will be difficult for the dog to go anywhere without your permission.
Keep the environment clean
One common thing with dogs is that they love to pick things from the ground. So, once your dog finds pine cones on the ground, it will be quite hard to resist the urge to pick them up. Therefore, the only way you can ensure your dog does not have access to harmful food is to keep the environment clean at all times.
Create barrier
If you have a garden or farmland where your dog can easily access pine cones, you need to create a barrier. There are many fences you can get online to surround the tree or plant. The fence will ensure that your dog does not have easy access to come near.
Also, apart from getting a fence for the plant or tree, you should consider getting a fence for your dog. A fence like Pet Trex Foldable Metal Pet Exercise Playpen Collection will help restrict the dog’s movement and keep your mind at peace at all times.
Training and treat method
One effective but time-consuming method is the training and treats method. You will take your time to teach and lecture your dog not to eat pine cones. It might take days before it gets to adapt, and once it does, you should appreciate the dog with a special treat. I do not think it doesn’t work. It does.
Conclusion
If you are curious or confused about What to do if your dog eats a pine cone, then you are just at the right place. Whenever your dog eats pine cones, you should not see it as the end of the world, but it demands a swift response.
Therefore, you should take your time to observe your dog see the signs and symptoms, and then put a call through to your vet. Your vet should tell you how to administer first aid treatment if the situation is worse and the dog could die, and then you can take it down to the vet for proper treatment.