persimmoncf said:
what the heck is a yew? And what do yew look like?
Isn't Cowgirl's avatar a yew?
Oh, my mistake, that's a ewe!
Seriously, here is the info:
Description. These plants are landscape shrubs with small, narrow, strap-like evergreen leaves that are two-ranked along the stem. The leaves taper bluntly to a point. The fleshy fruit (known as an aril) turns red when ripe.
Exposure. Animals gain access when trimmed hedges or shrubs are carelessly cast into pastures or when animals escape into landscaped areas.
Toxic principle. Taxine alkaloids (A and B) are believed to inhibit depolarization in the heart. The whole plant, except for the red aril (fruit), is toxic.
Toxicity. This plant is highly toxic to herbivores. As little as 6-8 ounces of fresh yew may kill an adult cow or horse.
Diagnosis. Acute onset and sudden death are common. Often animals are found dead with no premonitory signs.
Clinical signs: trembling, muscle weakness, dyspnea, and collapse are cardinal clinical signs. Arrhythmia, bradycardia, and diastolic heart block appear to be the cause of death.