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Animal owners are being urged to be on the lookout for highly toxic karaka berries, as the tree’s fruiting season intensifies between January and April. While signs of karaka toxicity have been recorded in humans, sheep, cattle, chickens and other species, dogs are especially sensitive to the toxin in the orange berry, as they contain the alkaloid karakin.
Consumption of the berries in dogs can lead to respiratory failure, impaired neurological function, and even death.
NZ Veterinary Association president Kate Hill said signs of karaka berry toxicity in dogs can be delayed up to 48 hours following ingestion. Signs to be aware of in dogs include:
• vomiting, diarrhoea, reduced appetite, and abdominal pain
• paralysis of hind limbs
• loss of balance
• convulsions
• reduction in the dog’s breathing rate and eventual paralysis of muscles used for breathing.
