'Highly toxic' tree is commonly found in Denver parks

Earlier this week, Denver's KDVR shared a story of a local resident who found themselves in a scary situation after their dog consumed seeds from a Kentucky coffeetree in the Mile High City's Washington Park.

Thankfully, the dog was able to undergo successful treatment at the Wheat Ridge Animal Hospital and should make a full recovery after a week at the facility.

That said, given that there's more than 3,100 Kentucky coffeetrees planted around Denver Parks and Recreation locations, it's crucial that local pet owners known how to identify these trees and their seeds so that similar situations can be avoided.

For starters, it's important to know how to identify the tree itself, which is described by Denver Trees as a good substitute for elm and ash trees that are prone to falling victim to beetles and disease, with the Kentucky coffeetree also known to be very adaptable and able to survive in a low-moisture environment.

According to the Missouri Department of Conservation , the Kentucky coffeetree is described as medium-size with stout and blunt branches, forming a narrow, rounded crown.

An image of the tree can be seen below:

As noted, the leaves, seeds, and pulp of the tree are considered poisonous and are toxic to livestock, humans, and pets. This makes it especially important for dog owners to know what the seed pods look like to prevent consumption by a pet.

The image below shows what a seed pod of the tree look like, which are thankfully easy to recognize:

The first sign of potential Kentucky coffeetree poisoning in dogs tends to be digestive distress. Loss of appetite, excessive drooling, vomiting, and diarrhea can also be obvious signs. Eventually, seizures, tremors, and other nervous system-related symptoms can manifest.

Should you turn and run if you spot one of these trees on your dog's next walk? That's probably overkill. However, it's worth exercising caution around these trees, especially if a pet has a tendency to chew on pieces of trees that fall to the ground.

Find more information about the Kentucky coffeetree here .

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