Melia azedarach, often called white cedar, chinaberry or cape lilac is a common street and garden tree that is native to Australia. White cedar trees are often planted in parks, public gardens and along footpaths or roadsides as shade trees because of their dense canopy. The white cedar tree can be identified by its showy, fragrant, lilac flowers followed by hard, yellow to pale orange bead-like fruits.

All parts of the white cedar are considered toxic with the highest concentration of the toxins (meliatoxins) found in the berries. Once ripe, these berries will fall off the trees and are then often ingested by dogs. Pets that eat these berries can potentially develop severe poisoning. The first signs of poisoning are typically gastrointestinal upset; excessive drooling, vomiting and diarrhoea. If enough berries are ingested, affected animals may become weak and have difficulty walking. Severely poisoned animals may have seizures and potentially become paralysed.

If you have a white cedar tree growing in your neighbourhood, ensure you leash and observe your pet whilst near them. If your pet is likely to scavenge, do not walk them directly under the trees as the ripe berries are said to be sweet and highly palatable.

Given the risk of significant poisoning in these cases, rapid veterinary treatment if often required. Whilst ensuring the wellbeing of your poisoned pet is paramount, veterinary care for poisoning can often be costly. Pet insurance provides peace of mind and protection in these events. The Animal Poisons Helpline is proudly sponsored by Bow Wow Meow Pet Insurance, who are currently offering two months of their Nose-to-Tail Cover for free in the first year of coverage for Helpline followers. Visit https://quote.bowwowinsurance.com.au/?promo=AP368 for more information.

The Animal Poisons Helpline provides free advice to pet owners in Australia and can be reached on ☎️ 1300 869 738 (AU), 0800 869 738 (NZ) , 3106 4216 (SG), (917) 722-5958 (US) or +1917-722-5958 (CA) . If you are a member of a veterinary team in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore or the United States, you can join the Animal Poisons Centre For Vets Facebook group which is regularly updated with toxicology tidbits and poisoning trends.