{"id":"mistletoe","common_names":["Mistletoe","American Mistletoe","Christmas Mistletoe","Eastern Mistletoe","Pacific Mistletoe"],"scientific_name":"Phoradendron flavescens","urls":{"plant":"https://verdapaw.com/plants/mistletoe","cats":"https://verdapaw.com/plants/mistletoe/cats","dogs":"https://verdapaw.com/plants/mistletoe/dogs","data":"https://verdapaw.com/plants/mistletoe/data.json"},"toxicity":{"cat":{"severity":3,"grade":"S3 Toxic","verdict_sentence":"American mistletoe is toxic to cats (S3 Toxic): its lectins and phoratoxins cause vomiting and diarrhea, and larger amounts can slow the heart, drop blood pressure, and make breathing difficult — a holiday sprig with berries needs to stay out of reach, not just out of sight.","toxic_principles":["toxalbumin, pharatoxin viscumin (lectins, phoratoxins)"],"toxic_parts":["plant","berries"],"symptoms":[{"sign":"vomiting","onset":"not specified in source"},{"sign":"diarrhea","onset":"not specified in source"},{"sign":"low blood pressure (rare)","onset":"not specified in source"},{"sign":"difficulty breathing","onset":"not specified in source"},{"sign":"low heart rate","onset":"not specified in source"},{"sign":"stumbling gait (large ingestions)","onset":"not specified in source"}],"sources":[{"url":"https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/aspca-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants/mistletoe-american","name":"ASPCA","accessed_at":"2026-09-07"},{"url":"https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/mistletoe/","name":"PPH","accessed_at":"2026-09-07"}],"reviewed_by":"Zhe Li","reviewed_at":"2026-09-30"},"dog":{"severity":3,"grade":"S3 Toxic","verdict_sentence":"American mistletoe is toxic to dogs (S3 Toxic): its lectins and phoratoxins cause vomiting and diarrhea, and larger amounts can slow the heart, drop blood pressure, and make breathing difficult.","toxic_principles":["toxalbumin, pharatoxin viscumin (lectins, phoratoxins)"],"toxic_parts":["plant","berries"],"symptoms":[{"sign":"vomiting","onset":"not specified in source"},{"sign":"diarrhea","onset":"not specified in source"},{"sign":"low blood pressure (rare)","onset":"not specified in source"},{"sign":"difficulty breathing","onset":"not specified in source"},{"sign":"low heart rate","onset":"not specified in source"},{"sign":"stumbling gait (large ingestions)","onset":"not specified in source"}],"sources":[{"url":"https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/aspca-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants/mistletoe-american","name":"ASPCA","accessed_at":"2026-09-07"},{"url":"https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/mistletoe/","name":"PPH","accessed_at":"2026-09-07"}],"reviewed_by":"Zhe Li","reviewed_at":"2026-09-30"}},"license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/","terms":"Free to reuse with attribution to Verdapaw and a link to the plant page."},"cite_as":"Verdapaw Plant × Pet Safety Index, verdapaw.com/plants/mistletoe, reviewed 2026-09-30"}