10 Common Poisonous Plants for Dogs

Reviewed for accuracy on May 14, 2019, by Dr. Hanie Elfenbein, DVM, PhD

When your dog eats something dangerous, like poisonous plants, it’s a terrifying situation. And it’s even more dangerous if you don’t know which are toxic and which are safe.

Knowing which plants are toxic to dogs can help you avoid bringing them into your home or planting them in your yard if your dog is a grazer.

The ASPCA Poison Control Center warns that “consumption of any plant material may cause vomiting and gastrointestinal upset for dogs and cats.” To check if the plants in your house and yard are safe for your dog, review the Poison Control Center’s website.

Here’s a list of 10 common plants that people typically keep in their homes and gardens that can make dogs very sick or even kill them.

Ingestion of just a few azalea leaves can irritate your dog’s mouth and cause subsequent vomiting and diarrhea. In severe cases, azaleas can cause a drop in blood pressure, coma and even death in dogs.

Although the entire plant of a tulip is poisonous to dogs, just like with other plants, it is the bulb that is the most poisonous to dogs. Eating this part can cause significant oral irritation, excessive drooling and nausea.

The sago palm is an extremely poisonous plant to dogs when ingested, causing bloody vomiting and diarrhea, bleeding disorders, liver failure and death. This small palm is often kept as a houseplant, making it more likely that your dog’s curiosity will get the best of him.

This popular ornamental flowering shrub is commonly found in the southern states and California. Its cardiac glycosides, which often occur as flower and fruit pigments, are very toxic to dogs and can cause fatal heart abnormalities, muscle tremors, incoordination, vomiting and bloody diarrhea.

Any plant in the chrysanthemum family is toxic for your dog. The plants contain many compounds that are particularly irritating and dangerous to dogs. Common symptoms of mum ingestion include vomiting, diarrhea, drooling and incoordination.

These beautiful flowering shrubs are often planted in as hardy perennials in backyard gardens. Peonies can cause vomiting, diarrhea and decreased energy when ingested by your dog.

When these nuts fall from the trees, they often start to decay and mold. This may make them very interesting to your dog, who could get very sick. Moldy black walnuts can cause seizures in addition to stomach upset.

If your dog eats irises, they may salivate, vomit, drool, have diarrhea or lose energy. This is because the iris contains several compounds that are toxic to dogs. Irises can also cause skin irritation.

These beautiful, tall flowers are paradise for bees and other pollinators but are very dangerous to your pets. Every part of the foxglove plant is toxic to your dog, from the seeds to the leaves and the flowers. It is best to keep these plants away from your dog. Foxglove can cause cardiac failure and even death.