Solanum carolinense is toxic to cats, dogs and horses. The reported severity is critical. Also known as Carolina Horsenettle.
If your animal ate this plant, call your veterinarian now, or one of these services.
What do I do right now?
Ireland has no animal poison service for owners. Call your veterinarian. An Irish veterinarian can consult the Veterinary Poisons Information Service in the United Kingdom.
Giftinformationscentralen stopped answering questions about animals on 1 July 2018. Call your veterinarian or an animal hospital.
Drooling Loss Of Appetite Abdominal Pain Diarrhea Drowsiness CNS Depression Disorientation Weakness Dilated Pupils Slow Heart Rate Colic Depression Incoordination Paralysis Coma High Heart Rate Weak Pulse Anemia Difficulty Breathing Kidney Failure Tremors
The color of each symptom follows the severity scale above.
Solanum carolinense, the Carolina horsenettle, is not a true nettle, but a member of the Solanaceae, or nightshade family. It is a perennial herbaceous plant, native to the southeastern United States, though its range has expanded throughout much of temperate North America. The plant is considered to be invasive in parts of Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. The stem and undersides of larger leaf veins are covered with prickles.
Many parts of the plant have historically been used to create medicines to treat various conditions. It was listed in the United States National Formulary from 1916 to 1936 for use by pharmacists. However all parts of the plant, including its tomato-like fruit, contain toxins in varying degrees due to the presence of solanine glycoalkaloids which is a toxic alkaloid and one of the plant's natural defenses. While ingesting any part of the plant can cause fever, headache, scratchy throat, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, ingesting the fruit can cause abdominal pain, circulatory and respiratory depression, or even death.
Also recorded as Apple Of Sodom, Ball Nightshade, Ball-nettle, Bull Nettle, Carolina Horse-nettle and Carolina nightshade.
More from the Solanaceae family:
Countries with the most wild observations, from GBIF data.