As a pet owner, I am always concerned about my pet’s safety when it comes to what I plant in my garden and yard. If your dog is like ours, she wants to join in when we are working in the yard. She will eat blueberries when we are harvesting them and her favorite is to pull carrots up to eat.
You need to be careful since they will eat things they shouldn’t such as grapes and leaves of toxic plants.
The best advice if you think your pet has ingested anything toxic is to contact your veterinarian immediately with as much information that you can provide. It is always better to be safe and the earliest contact with professionals the better to treat and cure the dogs.
Here is a list of toxic plants, symptoms to look for, and the severity of toxicology.
What Plants Are Toxic and Unsafe for Pets
Toxic Plant List
Onions, Garlic, Chives, and Leaks
These are all toxic to dogs causing serious damage
Symptoms
- Lethargy.
- Weakness.
- Decreased appetite.
- Pale gums.
- Fainting.
- Reddish urine.
Autumn Crocus
The entire plant is toxic but the most poisonous part of the plant is the bulb. If ingested it can cause death in dogs.
Symptoms caused by colchicine include:
- a burning sensation in the dog’s mouth and throat
- vomiting and/or diarrhea that often has blood
- seizures
- liver and kidney failure
- heart arrhythmias
- and sudden death
Tomatoes
In small doses, dogs may not be impacted but it depends on the dog and how much they ate, green tomatoes are more toxic than ripe ones.
Symptoms
- Hypersalivation.
- Loss of appetite.
- Gastrointestinal upset.
- Vomiting.
- Diarrhea.
- Confusion.
- Drowsiness.
- Behavioral change.
Azaleas and Rhododendrons
Have hundreds of varieties that bloom throughout the year, even though they add a lot of colors they are very toxic to dogs.
Grayanotoxins in azaleas primarily affect the dog’s heart and intestinal tract.
Symptoms
- vomiting
- diarrhea with or without blood
- drooling
- changes in heart rate
- arrhythmias
- low blood pressure
- seizures
- coma
- and even death
Grapes
Are very dangerous to dogs causing kidney failure within 72 hours if not treated.
- Vomiting.
- Diarrhea.
- Grapes or raisins in vomit or stool.
- Low energy.
- Loss of appetite.
- Weakness.
- Signs of abdominal pain.
- Excessive thirst.
Chrysanthemum
These plants are not as toxic, but they still can make your dog sick.
Symptoms
- drooling
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- can impact balance
Daffodils
These plants can be moderately toxic
Symptoms
- oral irritation and drooling
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- low blood pressure
- low heart rate
- arrhythmia
English Ivy
Ivy is moderately toxic to dogs mainly because the leaves of the plant are toxic.
Symptoms
- oral irritation
- drooling
- vomiting
- diarrhea
Lily of the Valley
This is a plant that is moderately to severely toxic to dogs.
Symptoms
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- a slowed heart rate
- low blood pressure
- seizures
- death
Oleander
This plant is very toxic to dogs
Symptoms
- drooling
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- arrhythmias
- collapse
- seizures
- death
Tulips and Hyacinth
The bulbs of both of these are moderate to severely toxic to dogs
Symptoms
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- drooling
- oral irritation
- trouble breathing
Yew
This is a very toxic plant for dogs, there are many varieties and even a small amount can cause severe damage to dogs.
Symptoms
- drooling
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- dilated pupils
- trouble breathing
- tremors
- seizures
- sudden changes in heart rate and blood pressure
- sudden death
Sweet Peas
I have not updated the symptoms but this is a very dangerous plant that I just realized that I have grown in my garden for several years. If you love growing them as I do for the wonderful colors and fragrance be sure you keep your dogs away from them since 1 pea can kill your dog if they ingest it and are not treated.
Know what is potentially toxic to not plant in your yard, or limit access for your pet to get to them so that you can still enjoy them and keep your pet safe.
