A Severely Swollen Face with No Tequila High

Desert Dog Has Serious Reaction to Eating Live Agave Plant

MINNEAPOLIS, July 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Each morning, Kathi Furnas of Marana, Arizona, lets her dog Kiki go outside while it is still dark to take care of business. One morning, instead of returning relieved, Kiki returned with a wet face and an impending hospital visit.

"We let her out early in the morning before it gets light," explained Furnas. "One morning, when she came back in, her face was soaked, and we couldn't figure out what it was. When it got light, we went outside and found she had dug up and eaten parts of our agave plant. We figured she must have chased some kind of creature into the plant and began chewing away. After several hours her face started swelling and we could tell it hurt. We wiped her down with a wet cloth, but that night she was still in pain, so we took her into the hospital."

In honor of National Tequila Day on July 24, the toxicology experts at Pet Poison Helpline reviewed their case data and found that while uncommon, agave can cause severe reactions in some animals.

"Kiki likely had a severe reaction to the sap of an agave plant, which contains many different irritants," said Dr. Renee Schmid, a senior veterinary toxicologist and director of Veterinary Medicine at Pet Poison Helpline. "She developed hives, significant facial swelling, and redness and skin sloughing. In large grazing animals, liver failure can occur, but in dogs we only expect skin irritation and GI upset."

Furnas took Kiki to the Veterinary Emergency Group (VEG) in Oro Valley, Arizona, and the medical team had Furnas call Pet Poison Helpline. Together, they assessed Kiki physically and developed a treatment plan based on her specific situation.

"The veterinarians were wonderful," added Furnas. "They placed Kiki under sedation so they could scrub her face, and they administered antibiotics and pain medications." Due to the reaction Kiki was having to the plant material, the veterinarians at Pet Poison Helpline recommended Kiki be bathed to remove any remaining sap and given an antihistamine as well as a short-acting steroid to help reduce the severity of her reaction. Kiki was in pain from the facial swelling and the irritation that developed from chewing on the sharp spines of the leaves, making it difficult for her to eat. To help with her pain, analgesics (pain medication) were administered, and she was given an appetite stimulant.

While at the hospital, Furnas witnessed some pet owners struggling to make medical decisions based on the cost of treatment.

"We saw a young couple talking to the hospital staff, and they were trying to figure out how to pay for their pet's treatment," Furnas shared. "We asked the hospital if we could help, and they have a fund people can donate to that helps offset some of the costs. The money stays local and helps local pets. We set up a small donation every month."

Fortunately, Kiki is back to full health and chasing new creatures in her yard. As for the Furnas family, they're a little more careful when letting Kiki outside when it's dark.

"Kiki hasn't gone near that plant since," Furnas joked. "Oh, and we take a flashlight out with us now."

Although Kiki didn't actually ingest tequila, the toxicology team would like to remind pet lovers that alcohol can be very dangerous to pets. Ingestion can cause serious drops in blood sugar, blood pressure and body temperature. Severely intoxicated animals can potentially experience seizures and respiratory failure. If your pet does accidentally ingest alcohol, consult with a veterinarian or Pet Poison Helpline immediately.

Pet Poison Helpline created Toxin Tails to educate the veterinary community and pet lovers on the many types of poisoning dangers facing pets, both in and out of the home. All the pets highlighted in Toxin Tails have been successfully treated for the poisoning and fully recovered.

About Pet Poison Helpline
Pet Poison Helpline^®, your trusted source for toxicology and pet health advice in times of potential emergency, is available 24 hours, seven days a week for pet owners and veterinary professionals who require assistance treating a potentially poisoned pet. Per incident and subscription service options are available. We are an independent, nationally recognized animal poison control center triple licensed by the Boards of Veterinary Medicine, Medicine and Pharmacy providing unmatched professional leadership and expertise. Our veterinarians and board-certified toxicologists provide treatment advice for all species, including dogs, cats, birds, small mammals, large animals and exotic species. As the most cost-effective option for animal poison control care, Pet Poison Helpline's fee of $89 per incident includes follow-up consultations for the duration of the case. The company also offers pethelpline^(SM) and pethelplinePRO^(SM) subscription services directly to pet lovers. Based in Minneapolis, Pet Poison Helpline is available in North America by calling 800-213-6680. Additional information can be found online at www.petpoisonhelpline.com.

Contact: Curtis Steinhoff
Pet Poison Helpline^®
(602) 300-8466
[email protected]

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SOURCE Pet Poison Helpline