Plants That Are Poisonous to Dogs

There are quite a few common household plants poisonous to dogs. While most owners might not realize it, the odds are that your dog is coming in contact with something poisonous to them. Even with a home free of houseplants, a walk can be a potential fatality!

Most dogs don’t end up ingesting these substances, even if they are quite common. A lot of owners aren’t typically aware of what their dog can and cannot eat and plenty of plants fall into the category of CANNOT eat. While you shouldn’t attempt to wrap your dog in a plastic bubble for protection, it is better to understand the dangers and what to do if you think your dog has been poisoned. It is helpful to know which common plants are poisonous to dogs and what warning signs to look for.

Most Parts of Plants Are Somewhat Toxic to Dogs

These common household plants can be poisonous to dogs. However, the entire plant typically isn’t. Most plants are made up of different substances. Not everything that touches your dog’s mouth is going to be fatal. However, these plants have significant portions of them that contain substances that are poisonous to dogs. If your dog may have ingested any of them, it is better to assume that they’ve ingested one of the toxic bits and ensure your dog is okay.

Even if a dog has ingested something toxic to them, eating part of a plant poisonous to dogs won’t always give them the worst-case outcome. Sometimes the effects can be smaller such as pain. However, it is still important to see help if you think your dog is poisoned. Even ingesting a small amount can be quite bad for your pet.

What Should You Do if You Think Your Dog is Poisoned

If you think that your dog has ingested something poisonous to them, then you need to act quickly. While it won’t always be the case, it is much safer to immediately seek expert advice than to wait and see. Veterinarians know best when it comes to our pets.

Pet Poison Helpline

The Pet Poison Helpline should be your first response when you think your dog may have ingested something toxic to them. It is open 24/7. In the case of suspected poisoning, you can discuss the symptoms and situation with the hotline and receive advice and guidance about what further actions to take and whether the symptoms are from poisoning or not.

Emergency Veterinarian Office

An emergency veterinarian office is like A&E for pets. It is the emergency out of hours, drop-in service to treat severe problems that just can’t wait. If your dog shows signs of having eaten a toxic plant, then taking them to your closest emergency veterinarian office is the safest thing to do. If your dog has severe symptoms, a trip here will save their life.

11 Plants Poisonous to Dogs

Sago Palm

Sago Palm is a pretty common decorative house plant. It looks appealing. However, it can be dangerous for your pet. If your dog manages to ingest part of this plant they can end up with liver failure. The first symptoms that you’ll see from a pet who has ingested some of this are vomiting, signs that they’re thirstier than normal, Icterus (which means their skin is beginning to yellow like Jaundice), and their stools becoming darker and resembled tar. This is because of bleeding in their gastrointestinal tract. If your dog is exhibiting these symptoms and has come into contact with a plant poisonous to dogs.

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera juice and water might be something of a trend at the moment, but it isn’t one that your dogs can’t join in on. If your dog has ingested some of this plant it can cause vomiting, weakness, diarrhea, and problems in their entire central nervous system. The entire plant isn’t poisonous, but the bits that are it can cause serious problems.

Daffodil

Daffodils may look nice but they can be toxic to dogs. The main signs that your dog has ingested the poisonous lycorine in a daffodil are vomiting, excessive salvia, diarrhea, convulsions, low blood pressure, tremors, and eventually cardiac arrhythmias. If eaten, you need to seek urgent advice.

Baby’s Breath

Baby’s Breath might sound quite innocent, but it is one of the plants poisonous to dogs. The main signs that your dog has ingested it are vomiting and diarrhea. This is a common plant, so you need to be alert of your dog’s behavior when around it.

Tomato Plant

Those who like to grow their own veg might be surprised to hear that tomato plants can be a danger to dogs. If you have one of these growing you need to keep it away from prying paws. Signs that your dog has been poisoned by a tomato plant are general weakness, a bad tummy, sleepiness, slow heart rate, and dilated pupils. If not treated, poison from a tomato plant can be completely fatal for dogs.

Tulip

Tulips fall into a similar category as daffodils and tomatoes, great to have around but not for your furry friend. Ingesting a tulip can be completely fatal for a dog, the signs that they’ve had some include problems in their central nervous system, vomiting, diarrhea, and excessive salivation.

Chrysanthemum

Even if you can’t pronounce Chrysanthemum on your first attempt, you likely see a lot of it. It is a common flower that contains sesquiterpenes, lactones, and pyrethrins, all of these are quite harmful to your dog. The warning signs that they’ve eaten include vomiting, diarrhea, excessive salivation, and incoordination.

Oleander

Oleander is a flower that brightens up a yard. However, it also contains cardiac glycosides. These are toxic to dogs. If not treated, ingesting this plant can result in death. The symptoms are drooling, abdominal pain, more diarrhea, and colic.

Azalea

Azaleas are home to grayanotoxin, a substance that causes cardiac failure in your dog. The usual symptoms that they’ve been ingested are vomiting, diarrhea, and general weakness.

Mums

Mums are a type of chrysanthemum. They carry with them the same dangers to your dog, even if they are a subsection of the plant. The symptoms that your dog has eaten one are all the same as chrysanthemums, so you need to watch out for both.

Irises

An iris is a home to pentacyclic terpenoids. These substances can cause your dog some nasty side effects if eaten. The main symptoms of this are excessive salvation, vomiting, drooling, lethargy, and diarrhea.

How to Make Sure Your Dog Doesn’t Ingest These Plants

With so many things out there that can potentially do a lot of damage to your dog, it may seem like every walk is a minefield. While plants poisonous to dogs are surprisingly common, it isn’t so hard to keep your dog away from them once you know the danger. Be careful that your dog doesn’t eat everything they see on a walk, and you should be able to manage the risk. At home, if you have to have one of these plants around they need to be safely segregated from your pet. A dog can’t really be blamed for eating a nearby flower, so being careful on a walk can keep you both happy.

About Walk’n Dogs – A Dog Care Company | Winter Park, FL

Rachel has been working in the Pet Care Industry for the last few years and started her career in a local Canine Health & Fitness Center that also incorporated canine hydrotherapy, dog daycare & boarding. While working at Rocky’s Retreat, under the previous ownership of Sherri Cappabianca and Toby Gass, Rachel became certified in canine hydrotherapy and they taught her everything she knows about canine care, hydrotherapy, health and fitness.

Rachel is currently the owner/founder of Dip’n Dogs Canine Hydrotherapy and Walk’n Dogs – A Dog Walking Service in the Orlando, FL area. Dip’n Dogs provides water therapy for dogs with any orthopedic condition, degenerative disease, injury or obesity. Walk’n Dogs provides in-home visits for dog walking, pet sitting, pet taxi and pet errands. Each service is customized to fit each dog and their needs. Rachel caters to the Winter Park, Baldwin Park, Maitland, College Park, and Altamonte Springs, FL areas.

Rachel is also the owner and dog mom to her two beagles, Leo and Lola.