Plants That Can Poison Your Dog

Many plants in our home and used in our landscaping have toxins that poison our pets. For canines and felines, their natural curiosity can be their downfall when it comes to nibbling on plants.

Listed is some of the top house or landscaping plants that are poisonous to canines:

Autumn crocus: It has been known to trigger rapidly dividing cells, shedding of the gastrointestinal tract, bloody diarrhea, and vomiting.

Azalea: A very popular plant can harm the cardiovascular system and trigger vomiting or gastrointestinal upset.

Daffodil: Toxins in the bulbs of the daffodil can cause convulsions, tremors, lethargy, upset stomachs and weakness.

Hyacinth: A popular plant that can cause severe vomiting, bloody diarrhea, depression, and tremors.

Japanese yew: This plant and its red berries are very toxic to dogs and can cause seizures or cardiac failure.

Lily of the valley: All varieties of the lily are very toxic to dogs. It can cause heart failure, coordination problems, and vomiting.

Oleander: This plant has toxins that harm the heart, decrease body temperature, cause abnormal pulse rate, and can cause death. 

Sago palm: The seeds are deadly to dogs. Just a few small seeds can cause death to a large dog.

Tomato: The leaves and stems of the tomato plant, not the actual tomato, have a toxin that can cause gastric upset, depression, weakness, and a decrease in heart rate.

This is a condensed list of harmful, even deadly, plants to your dog. When decorating your home or landscaping your yard, research each plant that you are considering to find out if it is dangerous for your pet. Cornell University's Department of Animal Science has an active database for plants that are toxic to dogs. The ASPCA has compiled a list of plants that are toxic to cats. Should your pet ingest a plant and you are unsure as to if it is harmful, then contact your veterinarian or the local poison control center.