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Friday - October 30, 2009

From: Chandler, AZ
Region: Southwest
Topic: Poisonous Plants
Title: Are the seeds of Texas ebony poisonous to dogs from Chandler AZ
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

Please tell me if it is dangerous for my puppy to eat the seeds of a Texas ebony. She seems to be attracted to them.

ANSWER:

We could find no indication in our research that Ebenopsis ebano (Texas ebony) has any parts toxic to animals. Here is more information on the plant from Arizona State University Texas Ebony. Also for future reference, we found this website from DogPack.com Plants Poisonous to Dogs.

Even with those reassurances, we would recommend not allowing your puppy to eat anything not specifically designed for her nutrition. We understand that dogs, and particularly puppies, will eat about anything or at least chew on it. Getting too much of a non-nutritive substance in her stomach could certainly upset that stomach, with undesirable results. Also, snacking on the seeds of the Texas ebony, which is a member of the Fabaceae, or pea, family, could keep her from having an appetite for the proper food you have prepared for her. Since the seed pod is about the only thing unattractive on the Texas ebony, you could simply nip off the seed pods when they appear, and dispose of them out of the puppy's reach, as well as raking up the seeds now on the ground.

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