Plants and flowers that are toxic to dogs
Many houseplants, garden plants and plants you meet on walks are toxic to dogs, from a simple mouth irritant to a poison that attacks the heart. The right reflex: if your dog swallows any plant, call your vet or an animal poison centre straight away, without waiting for symptoms and without ever making him vomit.
Why your dog tastes plants
A dog explores the world with his mouth: he tastes, he swallows fast, often before you can react. Bright berries draw him in, and a dug-up bulb looks a lot like an onion to a dog who enjoys digging. The trap is that several poisons work in silence: with sago palm, autumn crocus or castor bean, he can seem perfectly normal for hours while his liver or kidneys are already suffering. You cannot rely on his instinct to spot what is dangerous: protecting him is on you, through what you put out of reach and what you teach him.
The part matters. For many species, the poison is concentrated in the seeds, the bulb, the root or the sap, not in the rest of the plant. And drying changes nothing: yew needles, from that dark conifer of hedges and churchyards, after a trim, or a wilted bunch of lily of the valley, stay toxic.
The plants to know, ranked by severity
These levels help you pitch your vigilance, but they never replace your vet's opinion: only he can judge the real situation (species, part swallowed, quantity and the dog's weight).
Life-threatening (can kill, sometimes in small amounts)
Severe to moderate toxicity (move out of reach and watch closely)
Bad reputation, in fact not very dangerous for dogs
This list is not exhaustive. Faced with an unknown plant that has been chewed, treat it as a risk.
If your dog has touched or swallowed a plant
Your priority is not to treat him yourself, but to call quickly and gather the right information.
Call immediately
Your vet, the emergency clinic, or one of France's two animal poison centres, the CNITV or the CAPAE-Ouest. These are phone numbers: you can call from wherever you are, without waiting for symptoms.
Do not make him vomit yourself
Depending on the plant, it is either useless or dangerous. No milk, no oil, no "home remedy": the vet is the one who decides.
Note the right details
Which plant, which part (bulb, berries, leaves), roughly how much, and what time he swallowed it.
Bring a clue
A fragment or a photo of the plant is a big help in identifying it.
The signs vary with the plant. At the slightest sign after contact or ingestion, you call.
Keep an eye on it
- Heavy drooling, the dog shakes his head
- Irritation or pain in the mouth
- A one-off bout of vomiting
It is getting worse
- Repeated vomiting or diarrhoea, sometimes with blood
- Dullness, trembling
- Unsteady, staggering walk
Life-threatening emergency
- Weakness or heart rhythm disturbances (oleander, yew, lily of the valley)
- Convulsions
- Collapse or loss of consciousness
Sudden weakness, heart rhythm disturbances, convulsions or collapse after a plant has been swallowed: this is a life-threatening emergency.
Do this right now
- Call the vet or an animal poison centre on your way
- Keep the dog calm, without giving him anything to swallow
- Bring a fragment or a photo of the plant
The assistant never replaces a vet. When in doubt, call.
Prevention: at home, in the garden, on walks
At home
- Go through your potted plants and put the most dangerous ones (sago palm, dieffenbachia, potted oleander) out of reach.
- Keep bouquets and vase water (lily of the valley, foxglove) up high.
- Wherever your dog goes, choose plants known to be safe (spider plant, calathea, Boston fern).
In the garden
- Spot and remove oleander, yew, rhododendron, castor bean and spring bulbs.
- Pick up acorns, conkers, berries and prunings.
- Close off access to the compost and to hop residues if you brew your own beer at home.
On walks
- Watch out for bright berries: outdoors, that is what tempts your dog most.
- Work on "leave it" and a solid "no" that holds even at a distance: it is the most reliable barrier there is.
- Faced with an unknown plant that has been chewed, ask your vet or an animal poison centre for advice.
- Animal Poison Control Center (APCC), toxic plant database, ASPCA
- Veterinary toxicology: plants and toxins in dogs, Merck Veterinary Manual
- Poison list (plants toxic to dogs), Pet Poison Helpline
- Veterinary poison centres (CNITV Lyon, CAPAE-Ouest Nantes / Oniris), Centres antipoison animaux français
Going further
Frequently asked questions
Which plants are toxic to dogs?
The most serious ones attack the heart, the nerves, the liver or the kidneys: oleander, yew, sago palm (false sago), castor bean, lily of the valley, autumn crocus, monkshood, rhododendron. Add to those some very common irritants such as dieffenbachia or philodendron. The part matters: seeds, bulb and sap concentrate the poison. Faced with an unknown plant, treat it as a risk.
Is lily of the valley toxic to dogs?
Yes. Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) is toxic to the heart, in dogs as in cats, and the whole plant counts, including the vase water. At the slightest ingestion, call your vet or a poison centre without waiting for symptoms, and do not make him vomit.
Oleander: how dangerous is it for dogs?
Oleander (Nerium oleander) is one of the most dangerous plants there is: the whole plant, dried leaves included, attacks the heart, and a few leaves can be enough. Put it out of reach. If it is swallowed, this is an emergency: call straight away, even before the first signs.
Which houseplants are dangerous for dogs?
The sago palm (false sago, often sold as a palm) is the most serious (liver). Also very widespread, dieffenbachia, philodendron, pothos and monstera burn the mouth as soon as he chews them. Put them up high; on the safe side, spider plant and calathea are good choices.
My dog has eaten a tulip or daffodil bulb, what should I do?
The bulb is the most toxic part: a dog digs it up, mistaking it for an onion. Intense vomiting is possible, and a large bulb can cause a blockage. Do not make him vomit, call your vet and note the time and the amount swallowed.
Are lilies dangerous for dogs?
True lilies are above all a danger for cats (devastating kidney failure, even from a trace). In dogs, they generally cause no more than mild digestive upset. Watch out for lily of the valley, which really is toxic to a dog's heart.
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