| According to the American Academy of | | | | and natural home remedies. See below.Severe |
| Dermatology, each year 10 to 50 million | | | | Symptoms* Swelling of the throat, tongue, or |
| Americans develop an allergic rash after | | | | lips |
| contact with Poison Oak, Poison Ivy and | | | | |
| Poison Sumac Plants. The invisible oily resin | | | | * Difficulty breathing or swallowing |
| called urushiol causes the ill effects of | | | | |
| these poisonous plants.Poison ivy, oak, or | | | | * Weakness or dizziness |
| sumac is found in every state except Alaska | | | | |
| and Hawaii. These plants are important to the | | | | * Bluish lips and/or mouth |
| eco-systems where they thrive. The small, | | | | |
| white or bluish berries found on the ivies | | | | * Unconsciousness |
| feed a number of birds and small animals. The | | | | |
| irritants found in urushiol oil do not effect | | | | * Severe Symptoms need immediate emergency |
| most animals and the tangles from the plants | | | | medical care.CautionNEVER burn poison ivy. |
| serve as shelter.This oily resin can stay on | | | | Burning these poisonous plants puts the |
| pets, shoes, hiking boots, clothes, toys, | | | | urushiol resin in the air and can get in your |
| garden tools, lawn mowers and anything else | | | | lungs and possibly your neighbor's lungs. If |
| that has made contact. In fact, the oil stays | | | | you get poison ivy in your lungs, you will |
| active on any surface, including dead plants, | | | | need to go to the hospital.Pet AlertThe only |
| for up to 5 years.SymptomsAfter making | | | | threat to resin on our pets is if it is |
| contact, the reaction (called dermatitis) may | | | | rubbed off onto other things or people. If |
| include a rash followed by bumps and blisters | | | | your pet merely has the bumps and is itching, |
| that itch. Scratching does not spread the | | | | you can not catch it from |
| outbreak but may cause infection because it | | | | them.TreatmentBecause urushiol is a oily |
| allows bacteria from dirt on the hands to | | | | resin and not a water based fluid, it will |
| enter the skin. Symptoms can last ten days to | | | | not evaporate and it can linger for several |
| several weeks to heal.Mild Symptoms* Severe | | | | years.Use mild soap and cold or cool water to |
| redness | | | | wash off the resin. Do not use hot water |
| | | | because it opens your skin pores and thus |
| * Signs of infection, such as pus | | | | absorb more of the oil.You may want to apply |
| | | | rubbing alcohol to the affected area(s) with |
| * Rash in mouth, eyes, or genital area | | | | cotton balls, and then rinse again with cold |
| | | | water. You can apply calamine lotion, a zinc |
| * Rash on a large portion of your body or | | | | oxide ointment, or baking soda paste (3-tsp. |
| face | | | | soda to 1-tsp. water) to the affected |
| | | | area(s), or soak in an oatmeal bath, to |
| * Mild symptoms can be treated with simple | | | | relieve the symptoms somewhat. |