Plants poisonous to cats and dogs should not be kept around your home for the safety of your pets. Dogs and cats don’t usually know what things make them sick, so their curious nature occasionally gets the best of them. Some houseplants and outdoor plants can be dangerous for dogs—even deadly—so make sure you know before you grow.
Although this is probably not a complete and exhaustive list, it does cover many plants that many people enjoy around their house. Even though these are toxic, they may not pose a problem simply by their presence, but you should be aware of their potential to harm your pets if the exposure route and level are just right.
There are those who would say, to be safe, if it is not an herb, a fruit or a vegetable, assume it is toxic until you prove otherwise.
Local Available Plants Poisonous To Cats And Dogs
Of the plants on this list, those plants listed in boldface print are types of plant toxicity treated at the Plantation Pet Health Center in Frisco, Texas by Doc Martin:
Selected Poisonous (Toxic) Plants To Avoid
Carolina Jasmine Toxicity in Pets
All parts of the plant can contain toxic alkaloids. Eating just one flower has reportedly been lethal to children or pets. The plant can also cause skin allergies in some people and it is possible that the plant toxins can be absorbed through the skin, especially if there are cuts. Symptoms include sweating, nausea, muscular weakness, dilated pupils, lowered temperature, convulsions, respiratory failure.
Christmas Rose Toxicity in Pets
This plant is moderately toxic most often presenting with intestinal upset symptoms, but can have worse symptoms if large amounts are ingested.
Mistletoe Toxicity in Pets
This plant can be very toxic and potentially fatal, especially the European variety. The main organ system affected is the heart; however, most common ingestion of the American mistletoe usually results in mild stomach and intestinal upset.
Poinsettia Toxicity in Pets
The true level of the toxicity of these plants has been exaggerated. This plant is more often an irritant rather than a truly toxic plant. Signs most often reported when this plant is ingested are vomiting or diarrhea, anorexia, and depression.
Sago Palm Toxicity in Pets
Although they are very attractive plants that do fairly well in our climate, many people do not realize just how deadly the Sago Palm can be. During the summer months of 2009 we lost 2 patients to Sago Palm toxicity despite early aggressive medical care that included treatment at a specialty center. We at PPHC wanted to make people aware just how toxic and deadly these plants are for animals. The entire plant is toxic: seeds, leaves, bark, meat, etc. The seeds seem to be a bit more toxic than the rest but the difference is insignificant to most animals. The plant causes a sudden aggressive inflammation and failure of the liver. Even if the owner catches their pet in the act of eating the plant, induces vomiting, gets treated with activated charcoal and IV fluids, the chances of survival are still very poor. Both patients we saw that had succumbed to this plant appeared to get better initially and then there was almost a “second wave” of liver failure that led to their demise. If you have Sagos, and you want to keep them, please try moving them to a section of the yard where your pets never go, or provide barriers for your pets that they cannot get past.
Non-Toxic (Safe) Houseplants
- African Violet
- Air plants
- Areca Palm
- Baby Rubber Plant
- Lemon Butter Fern
- Orchids
- Peperomia
- Ponytail Palm
- Prayer Plant
- Spider Plant
- Succulents (Echeveria, Kalanchoe)
- Zebra Plant
If you would like to learn more about the Plantation Pet Health Center, please call 972-731-0001 to schedule an appointment or complete an Online Appointment Request.
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