Toxic Plants Your Dog Should Avoid

Published: May. 10, 2009
Subject: Plants to Pass Right By
Category: K9 Care

It’s springtime and all the gardens and parks are abloom. Who can resist the first glorious buds bursting with new life? Certainly, not your dog. Whether he’s a sniffer, a digger or a voracious chewer, your dog’s idea of communing with nature isn’t always safe. Some of the season’s most common plants are actually toxic to dogs. Thanks to the ASPCA and Cornell University, Woof Report brings you the links to find the garden’s worst offenders. From the known plant troublemakers like Elephant Ear plants and Azaleas, to shockers like Daffodils and Tulips (the bulb being the most toxic part in both) – they’re all here. Even Chrysanthemum’s made the list. Who knew? 

But not to worry, with a little information you can steer your pup away from the culprits. Just make sure to keep your home and yard free of anything on the toxic list and watch closely as he sniffs neighbors’ yards on the way to the dog park. If you’re out on evening walks, a flashlight can help you spy and keep your dog from sampling.

If you suspect your dog’s already snacked on a problem plant or is ill, call your vet or a 24/7 Animal Poison Control Center. They may recommend a dose of hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting and help him recover, so your emergency first-aid kit should include a fresh bottle of hydrogen peroxide, 3 percent USP and a turkey baster, bulb syringe or large medicine syringe to administer the peroxide. But not all plant substances require the same antidote, so please do not try to treat plant poisoning on your own. Your vet or the Animal Poison Control Center should make the call.

Bookmark the links and numbers below to keep the bad buds on the other side of the fence and for fast access just in case.

The Scoop:

ASPCA List of Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants
The list contains plants that have been reported as having systemic effects on animals and/or intense effects on the gastrointestinal tract. Note the list a compilation of the most frequently encountered plants and is not all-inclusive.
www.aspca.org/poison-control

Also from the ASPCA, a printable list of plants that are toxic and non-toxic to dogs (there’s a list for cats too). It includes the common and scientific names and in some cases, a link to a photo of the plant.
www.aspca.org/printablelist

The 17 most common house poisonous houseplants.
www.aspca.org/houseplants

The Cornell University Department of Animal Science – Poisonous Plant Index.
Like the ASPCA site, it offers a searchable database of plants and whether or not they are toxic to pets, but with more photographs of plants too.
www.ansci.cornell.edu/poisonousplants

24/7 ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center
1-888-426-4435, $60 fee may apply

24/7 Animal Poison Hotline
A joint service provided by North Shore Animal League America (NSAL) and PROSAR International Animal Poison Center (IAPC).
1-888-232-8870, $35 fee may apply

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