Rosary Pea

Yes, rosary pea (Abrus precatorius) is extremely toxic to cats. Its seeds contain abrin, a potent protein poison, and ingestion of even a single chewed seed can be fatal.

Symptoms include severe vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea (sometimes bloody), tremors, weakness, fever, rapid heart rate, and signs of shock such as pale gums, cold paws, and collapse. Signs may begin within a few hours but severe gastrointestinal symptoms can take up to a day to fully appear.

Call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 immediately — do not wait for symptoms to appear. Even one chewed seed is a potential emergency, and aggressive supportive care is needed to prevent severe dehydration, shock, and organ failure.

Initial signs can appear within a few hours of ingestion, but severe abdominal pain and hemorrhagic diarrhea may take up to 24 hours to fully develop. Without prompt veterinary intervention, the condition can progress rapidly to shock and death.

Yes, rosary pea (Abrus precatorius) is extremely toxic to dogs. The seeds contain abrin, a highly potent protein toxin, and ingestion is considered a medical emergency.

Symptoms include severe vomiting, bloody diarrhea, weakness, lethargy, abdominal pain, fever, and racing heart. In serious cases, dogs can progress to dehydration, shock, and cardiovascular collapse. Symptoms may begin within a few hours but sometimes don't appear until up to a day after ingestion.

Call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 immediately — do not wait for symptoms to appear. Even chewing a single seed is grounds for an emergency call, as abrin is potent enough that rapid treatment is critical.

Abrin can begin causing harm within a few hours, but severe signs like hemorrhagic diarrhea and abdominal pain sometimes don't emerge until up to 24 hours after ingestion. This delayed onset makes early veterinary contact essential even when your dog appears fine.