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Plants Poisonous to Dogs – What Dog Owners Need to Know

Plants Poisonous to Dogs – What Dog Owners Need to Know

It turns out that there are many plants poisonous to dogs. However, the good news is that most dogs won’t eat most of poisonous plants.

So, before you rip out precious plants and flowers — or put off planting more favorites — keep in mind that this is a list of plants poisonous to dogs, but only if they ingest them in any way.

As one reader shared:

I had moonflowers in my yard. My dog walked on fallen flowers in the grass and licked his paws. Got sick within hours. Pulled that plant out real fast.

~Rebecca Maurer-Milota, gardener, retired,

If Your Pet is Sick Now, Call Poison Control ASAP

IMPORTANT: If your pet is sick NOW, stop reading and call SPCA Animal Poison Control Center Phone Number: (888) 426-4435 ASAP, or your local vet or animal hospital.

Most Dogs Won’t Eat Plants

Given that most dogs aren’t interested in eating plants, especially the flowers, you’re probably fine, growing most of them. You’ll just want to keep an eye out on your pet the first few times around any of the possible culprits.

For example, our editors and owners of GardenAll are growing about half of the plants on these lists, have always had dogs, and have never had any issues with their dogs consuming them. Now the garden fertilizer and organic compost is another story and has to be guarded from snuffling snouts else the dogs end up with nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea. 

But You’ll Want to Exercise Caution and Close Supervision

Every dog is different, and just because most dogs won’t eat most plants poisonous to dogs, that doesn’t mean yours won’t. However, knowledge and careful acclimation to the plants in your yard and garden should help you ensure your dog is safe.

So let’s take a look at some of the plants to be aware of, that your fur-buddy should not eat!

Indoor House Plants Poisonous to Dogs

If you enjoy having indoor house plants, you may have wondered if they were poisonous to your dog. There are some indoor plants that can be very dangerous to dogs and cats, or even to small children.

Most mature dogs will avoid most plants, but there are some dogs that tend to explore everything by tasting it. Puppies in the chew-and-destroy stage are more prone to get into trouble, so when you have a new puppy, place houseplants out of reach if possible.

House Plants Toxic to Dogs

These toxic houseplants are listed alphabetically, along with toxicity rating from mild to severe to deadly.

A – Toxic Houseplants That Start with A

  • Alocasia:
    • Toxicity – high
    • Compounds – Insoluble calcium oxalate crystals with sharp edges
    • Symptoms – can lead to oral irritation and swelling, excessive drooling, vomiting, difficulty swallowing
  • Aloe vera, Aloe barbadensis:
    • Toxicity – mild to medium
    • Compounds – anthraquinones, anthracene, glycosides (aloin)
    • Symptoms – vomiting, red urine
  • Arrowhead plant, Syngonium podophyllum:
    • Toxicity – high
    • Compounds – Insoluble calcium oxalates with sharp edges
    • Symptoms – can lead to irritation and oral swelling, excessive drooling, vomiting, difficulty swallowing
  • Asparagus fern, Asparagus densiflorus cv sprengeri:
    • Toxicity – medium
    • Plant parts – contact dermatitis from leaves; berries if ingested
    • Symptoms – skin rash with repeated dermal exposure; gastrointestinal irritation if consumed

B – Toxic House Plants That Start With B

  • Begonia, Begonia spp.:
    • Toxicity – high
    • Compounds – soluble calcium oxalates
    • Plant parts – roots especially
    • Symptoms – can lead to kidney damage, and organ failure, vomiting, salivation.
  • Bird of Paradise, Caesalpinia gilliesii:
    • Toxicity – high
    • Compounds – hydrocyanic acid
    • Symptoms – Oral irritation such as burning, difficulty swallowing, excessive drooling; vomiting, diarrhea
  • Bird of Paradise, Strelitzia reginae, (not to be confused with the highly toxic Caesalpinia var.)
    • Toxicity – mild
    • Compounds – GI irritants
    • Plant Parts – mainly fruit and seeds
    • Symptoms – mild nausea, vomiting, drowsiness
  • Brunfelsia, Brunfelsia species:
    • Toxicity – high
    • Compounds – Brunfels amidine
    • Symptoms – tremors, seizures, diarrhea, vomiting, hypersalivation, lethargy, coughing, loss of coordination

While you may need to avoid growing the purple Brunfelsia, if you have dogs, you can find lots more purple flowers here.

C – Toxic House Plants That Start With C

  • Cactus, AKA, Easter, Thanksgiving or Christmas Cactus, Schlumbergera bridgesii:
  • Cactus*, pencil, Euphorbia tirucalli:
    • Toxicity – mild
    • Compounds – latex sap
    • Symptom – Irritation to mouth, abdominal pain, vomiting
  • Calla Lily –
  • Cornstalk plant / Corn Plant, Dracaena fragrans:
    • Toxicity – medium
    • Compounds – saponins
    • Symptoms – vomiting, depression, anorexia, excessive salivation

*Although not all cacti contain toxic substances to avoid, any cactus plant with spines, called Glochids, can be injurious to dogs if tampered with or ingested. These spines range in size from hair or needle to spikes and thorn sizes, and can be quite painful to deal with. However, the lists in this article address plant toxicity, not the painful needle or hair like spines.

D – Toxic House Plants That Start With D

  • Desert rose, Adenium obesum:
    • Toxicity – high / severe
    • Compounds – cardiac glycosides
    • Symptoms – vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, depression, irregular heart beat, death
  • Devil’s Ivy, (Pothos), Epipremnum aureum:
    • Toxicity – medium
    • Compounds – Insoluble calcium oxalates
    • Symptoms – mouth irritation: pain, swelling, excessive drooling, vomiting, difficulty swallowing
  • Dumb cane, Dieffenbachia:
    • Toxicity – medium
    • Compounds – insoluble calcium oxalates, proteolytic enzyme
    • Symptoms – burning and irritation of mouth, tongue, lips, excessive drooling, vomiting, difficulty swallowing

E – Toxic House Plants That Start With E

  • Eucalyptus, Eucalyptus species:
    • Toxicity – medium
    • Compound – eucalyptol essential oil
    • Symptoms – drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, depression, weakness

F – Toxic House Plants That Start With F

  • Flame lily, Gloriosa superba:
    • Toxicity – high / severe
    • Compound – colchicine related alkaloids
    • Symptoms – drooling, bloody vomiting & diarrhea, shock, kidney failure, liver damage, bone marrow suppression
  • Flamingo flower, Anthurium scherzeranum:
    • Toxicity – medium
    • Compound – insoluble calcium oxalates
    • Symptoms – irritation, pain and swelling of mouth, tongue and lips, drooling, vomiting, difficulty swallowing

G – Toxic House Plants That Start With G

  • Gardenia, Gardenia jasminoides:
    • Toxicity – mild
    • Compound – genioposide, gardenoside
    • Symptoms – mild vomiting and/or diarrhea, hives

I – Toxic House Plants That Start With I

  • Ivy / Devil’s Ivy, Epipremnum aureum
    • Toxicity – mild
    • Compound – insoluble calcium oxalates
    • Symptoms – irritation, pain and swelling of mouth, tongue and lips, drooling, vomiting, difficulty swallowing

J – Toxic House Plants That Start With J

  • Jade, Crassula argentea:
    • Toxicity – mild
    • Compound – unknown
    • Symptoms – vomiting, depression, incoordination

L – Toxic House Plants That Start With L

P – Toxic House Plants That Start With P

  • Philodendron, Philodendron bipennifolium:
    • Toxicity – medium
    • Compound – Insoluble calcium oxalates
    • Symptoms – oral pain, swelling, irritation, drooling, vomiting, difficulty swallowing
  • Poinsettias, Euphorbia pulcherrima

NOTE: Studies show no internal damage from poinsettia ingestion.[5]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3555592/

However, as always, If your pet is sick NOW, stop reading and contact a poison control center such as Pet Poison Help Line: (855) 764-7661 ASAP, or your local vet or animal hospital.

S – Toxic House Plants That Start With S

  • Sago palm, Cycas revoluta, zamia species:
    • Toxicity – high / severe
    • Compound – cycasin
    • Symptoms – vomiting (bloody) & diarrhea (bloody), thirst, tenderness, coagulopathy, liver damage, liver failure, death
  • Schefflera:
    • Toxicity – medium
    • Compound – Calcium oxalate crystals
    • Symptoms – oral pain, swelling, irritation, drooling, vomiting, difficulty swallowing

Z – Toxic House Plants That Start With Z

  • ZZ plant, Zamioculcus Zamiifolia:
    • Toxicity – medium
    • Compound – Calcium oxalate crystals
    • Symptoms – irritation, pain and swelling of mouth, tongue and lips, drooling, vomiting, difficulty swallowing

There are likely more toxic plants that didn’t make it onto our list, so don’t assume if it’s not listed here that it’s safe. It might not be. If you’re ever in doubt, research the specific plant. You may also be able to ask your veterinary hospital, or to reach out to a poison control line for more info, especially if you suspect that your dog may have ingested part of any poisonous plants.

Some of these are flowering plants and some are just leafy. For some, the flowers will be toxic and for others, all parts of the plant can be toxic.

Training Your Dogs Makes for Healthier and Happier Pets and People

For optimum safety, it’s best not to let your dogs eat any plants, indoors or outside. If they never form the habit of nibbling plants, they’re less likely to try out the ones that are bad for them.

Is Grass Safe for Dogs to Eat?

Ours dogs like to nibble a few stalks of grass on most trips outside, but that’s a natural health management instinct. While grass can cause dogs to vomit some of the time, that may be what they needed to do for an internal purging. Grass is safe for dogs, unless it contains pesticides.

How Toxic are Indoor Plants?

Houseplants can range from mildly toxic, to highly toxic. It’s also possible for your dog to have a higher sensitivity or an allergy to a plant that only causes mild symptoms in other dogs. We never truly know how a dog will react to eating a particular plant until it happens (which is why we want to avoid it).  

Symptoms can range from upset stomach and vomiting, to lethargy, or even death. As you can see, it’s always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your dog and plants. Dogs are curious animals, especially when they are still young. Puppies may get into playing and gnawing on dangerous plants before you know it. This is why it’s so important to keep them safe and be aware of any toxic plant to keep them away from.

Let’s take a look at some common questions about specific types of houseplants.

Are Spider Plants Poisonous to Dogs?

Chlorophytum comosum

No! According to the ASPCA Poison Control Center spider plants are not toxic to dogs or cats.

You don’t need to worry about your furry friend getting his paws on this one.  That’s great news because spider plants are fun, pretty to look at, easy to grow, and add oxygenation to indoor air. That’s a win all around!

Are Snake Plants Poisonous to Dogs?

Dracaena trifasciata

Yes! Snake plants are poisonous to dogs when ingested, so you’ll need to be careful with this very common houseplant. According to the American Kennel Club, snake plants can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea if your dog consumes it in large doses.

This doesn’t mean you can’t have a snake plant, but if you do, consider placing it on a bookshelf or somewhere else where your dog won’t be able to reach it. While a small nibble probably won’t cause any harm, you don’t want to take any chances, especially in the chew-everything-in-reach puppy stage.