toxic black walnuts

[ginger bear]

Just how toxic are black walnuts to dogs? Just the nut shell, nut, or greenery? I have heard all and heard just minor and more major medical issues.

I have a neighbor with three trees just over our fence. There will be no way to truly control dropping fruit or leaves as the trees continue to grow. We are planning to ask the neighbor if we can replace the trees with something better for the neighborhood. These trees will also be causing a major landscape die off in at least 1/2 of our yard as well from the 'juglone' toxin in the soil around the trees, roots, bark, green leaves and water drip off the trees. Big money spent this year landscaping the back 1/2 of the yard. 14 trees and a complete garden all slated to die within the next couple years if the research is true. Would just like to find out how dangerous for our dog as additional back up as a persuasion.And to make plans for her protection.

We have a small #5, 9 month old pom who will chew on any little leave, stem or bark she can find (just any outdoor yard items, doesn't chew anything elsewhere). We have been careful with what types of plants and trees we plant for her safety. With such a large, fenced yard I can't imagine trying to control everything she puts in her mouth. (worse than a baby). And with three trees we will be cleaning leaves and fruit everyday all year round just to keep it to a minimum, I can't imagine being able to prevent it all together. To what extent is the tree poisonous or dangerous to our little girl? Is there anything more than just stomach upset? How much will it take, if she were to chew on something from the tree, being she is such a small dog? Any sites out there with research info on these trees?

Could use any help we can get to protect her as well as have documentation when we make our request to our neighbor. We plan to make it worth his while. Although I can't see where it matters the yard is never mowed or kept up.

Thanks
Chris

[Moo]

I have read that in moderate quantities black walnut is used for medicinal purposes, but the hulls are toxic, with minor symptoms. A resistance against anything varies from breed to breed, dog to dog, and dog size.

However, benificial or not, an excess amount of any one thing can cause harm to a dog, and an excess for a five pound dog is not a lot. I suggest that you train the dog not to touch the walnuts. It's not as hard as you would think.

Collect a bunch of the nuts, and spray them with bitter apple spray, or tabasco sauce. Put them back on the ground, and let the dog roam around them, sniff them, etc, but if he tries to eat them- learn your lesson! Continue this every now and then until he resists approaching the walnuts. In the mean time, go out on a lead, or supervise closely, I wouldn't reccomend a puppy going out alone anyways.

TOXICITY RATING: Moderately toxic, depending upon length of exposure.
ANIMALS AFFECTED: Horses, dogs, possibly other animals.
CLASS OF SIGNS: Laminitis, breathing problems, gastroenteritis.
PLANT DESCRIPTION: These familiar trees are recent additions to the list of poisonous plants. Little information is yet available about their toxicity. Black walnuts are large (60-80 foot) forest trees often planted as ornamentals. The bark has characteristic broad, round ridges. The leaves are alternate, pinnately compound, 1 to 2 feet long, with 13 to 23 sharply toothed, tapered-pointed leaflets (fig. 45). Often there is no terminal leaflet. The fruit is a very rough nut enclosed within a clammy glandular husk, 2 to 4 inches in diameter (fig. 45A).
SIGNS: Horses are most often affected. When horses are bedded on wood shavings containing more than about 20% of black walnut shavings (which tend to be dark in color), clinical signs of laminitis (inflammation of the laminae in the hoof) can occur within 12 to 18 hours of contact, but 24 hours may elapse before signs manifest. Consumption of the shavings may cause signs of laminitis as well as mild colic. Affected horses become unwilling to move or have their feet picked up, are depressed, may exhibit limb edema and signs of laminitis. Difficulty in breathing (increased rate and depth) may be noted. Horses on pasture may show mild respiratory signs from pollen or fallen leaves. Poisoning in dogs is reported occasionally when the seed hulls are consumed, causing stomach upset and diarrhea (gastroenteritis).