Results from Necropsy

[PrestigeMiniHorses]

Sorry to hear, Poor babies. The goodness of course is that you know what happened. I would certainly hope the other neighbor takes theirs out too. Good luck.

 

[Stephanie]

Phew, the other neighbor has agreed to take out his oleander too if we'll help. Well, heck yeah we'll help. I guess soon we'll have an oleander free area and I can stop being paranoid when I see a horse stretched out and sleeping.

Stephanie

 

[hairicane]

Here in Florida theyre very popular plants and are all along highways and in subdivisions. I grew up here and the courtney campbell causeway across tampa bay had oleanders planted all over it by the beach and picnic areas. As a child I remember there were problems with people cutting branches off and using it to cook hot dogs and marshmellows over campfires. And poisoning themselves. They did post signs saying poison and dont touch. But I believe at least 1 person died that way.

 

[crponies]

I like how oleander looks but I don't care for it at all just because I know it is so toxic. Do not travel around with a blowtorch though as the smoke from burning oleander is also toxic! I never thought much about the wind carrying the leaves so far. That is scary! It is all over the place here right down the center of Highway 99 which is just a mile away and lots of other places too. :no: I am so glad your neighbors have agreed to get rid of theirs.

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

Steph, I'm glad you have an answer but still so sorry this happened. I didn't know about this plant before now so I really appreciate you sharing this experience so others like me can learn. I'm glad to hear your neighbors are willing to cooperate.

Again, sorry this happened to you and those innocent little babies. :no:

 

[BeckyG]

Regarding lists of poisonous plants.........

Appendex B in Miniature Horses a Veterinary Guide for Owners and Breeders has a list. The list is 2 and a half pages long!!

There is also a reference to this link:

Cornell Web page on Poisonous Plants ==> www.ansci.cornell.edu/plants

It is a very extensive site.

This is a quuestion/Answer I saw in the FAQ:

QUESTION:

Could you give me a list of landscape plants that are toxic to horses?

ANSWER:

A useful list would depend upon your location.

Oleader kills its share of stock in warmer climates, while yew and members of the

cherry genus (Prunus spp.), are the #1 and #2 horse-killing poisonous plans around

here. Members of the rhododendron/azelea/laurel grouping cause trouble all over

the country.

Yellow star thistle is not a landscape plant, but it is common on inadequately

irrigated disturbed sites all up and down the West Coast. Groundsel and fiddleneck

cool alot of western horses, too. Again these weeds are not ornamentals, they

thrive in disturbed sites and can be found in orchards and among the landscaping.

-Becky

(Link was not working... I think I fixed it , now :aktion033: )

 

[mizbeth]

How very very sad! I am so sorry you lost your babies. I hope there are no more leaves laying around out there?

It is toxic to all animals and humans, it takes only a small amount to kill our horses. It makes their hearts race and explode basically so the vet tells me that is and does not take long to kill them.

Again I'm sorry about this, and so glad you had the necropsy done to help explain there deaths. Thank you for sharing.

Beth

 

[MiniaturePrincess429]

Sorry about you losing your babies, that must've been ahrd. I've never even herd of that plant, but hey i live in maine, so...

 

[Songcatcher]

The winds are the reason that Norco outlawed Oleander in the whole town - it isn't even planted along the freeway through here. They offered free shrubs to people who dug their oleander out for awhile, not sure if they still do. Scary stuff - especially since it's EVERYWHERE in SoCal!

Just a tiny bit of sap or leaves can kill a CHILD - just sap on their hands, then putting their hands in their mouths!

:

I am so glad to hear that Norco has outlawed Oleander. I lived in Norco (MANY years ago) when I was a child, and we were cautioned to NEVER touch an Oleander. Our next door neighbor had them and they even grew through the fence. I remember hearing many years ago of several cases where people had been killed from chewing (or like mentioned above, getting the sap on their hands) an Oleander leaf or cooking hot dogs on an Oleander stick. They are BEAUTIFUL, but not worth the risk.

My understanding is that they are not a winter hardy plant and so those of us who live in areas with cold winters do not have to worry about them unless you happen to have one potted to bring in during the winter.

Stephanie, I'm so glad your neighbors have agreed to removing the plants as it seems there are still many people who simply are not aware of how dangerous this can be. It is sometimes VERY difficult to convince people of a problem they have not been aware of before.

 

[zoey829]

I am so sorry for your loss. Ugh! I can feel your pain.

Thanks so much for sharing. It might save another life.

 

[Jill]

I'm so sorry for your losses but I am happy now you have your answers and that you're able to take care of the oleander.

 

[The Dynamic Duo]

My goodness! This is a common known plant down here in Texas that people LOVE to plant especially around the barn. Thank you for sharing this info with all of us and I'm so sorry about your loss.

 

[user 3234]

If the leaves are dried and dead are they still posionus? :new_shocked:

 

[Just Us N Texas]

Remember the movie White Oleander where the wife used water that had held cut oleanders in it to kill the husband? Never even occurred to me they were that poisionous to the animals. When you help the neighbors destroy them, please be sure to wear gloves and lots of protective clothing! If the smoke is also so poisionous, how will you dispose of them? Call your extension agent to find out the safest and most effective ways to get rid of them. Those boogers sound lethal in all ways!

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

Two years ago we decided to let our llamas out around the house to help mow. Six of them.

Five died. Only the cria survived, as she wasn't weaned yet and wasn't nibbling the shrubs. Once I realized what the shrub was, we pulled them off the yard. Never again. Unfortunately, the oleander is still there.

Lucy

 

[HGFarm]

These plants are NASTY and I would never have one on the place as you dont know where the leaves will blow to either- your place, the neighbors, etc... or what might be able to get at them to eat them. I would NOT burn the plants but get them into a dumpster and have them hauled away- and yes, wear gloves!!

Glad to hear they are outlawed SOMEwhere- sure wish they would here!

We went to a Mini show years ago in Indio and the showgrounds were COVERED in oleanders and the stalls had open windows - bars- and all the leaves were blowing in- the stalls were FULL of them!!!! We refused the stalls and went to an area where there were no plants close by and spent a long time inspecting the stalls for even 'crumbs' of leaves!! I never went to that show again!