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Toxic plants for dogs: which are riskiest and what to do

Many dogs happily chew leaves, bulbs and seeds. The consequences vary a lot from plant to plant: some cause only a little vomiting, others can damage the liver or heart. To judge how risky an ingestion is, you need to know which plant it was, ideally by its botanical name, and to talk to a veterinarian. Some plants that are very dangerous for cats, such as lilies, are not toxic to dogs.

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Summary

The important points, first

  • The most dangerous plants for dogs include sago palm, oleander, yew, azaleas and rhododendrons.
  • In tulip and daffodil bulbs the toxin is more concentrated than in the rest of the plant.
  • If your dog chewed a dangerous or unknown plant, call a veterinarian immediately. If you can, bring the plant or a photo.
  • Before buying a plant you can look it up, including by botanical name, in the ASPCA list.
01

The plants most often involved in poisonings in Italy

A study analysed calls about plant poisoning in domestic animals received by the Milan Poison Control Centre between 2000 and 2011. Dogs were the species most often involved, in about six cases out of ten. Most cases had mild or moderate signs. The outcome was known for only about half of the calls, and among these one case in ten was fatal.

The plants mentioned most often were sago palm (Cycas revoluta), poinsettia, hydrangea, oleander, rhododendrons and azaleas, and some Prunus species, the genus of cherry, peach and cherry laurel. All of them are common in homes, on balconies and in gardens.1

02

The most dangerous plants

Sago palm is often called a palm, although it is not one. It is toxic to dogs and the seeds are the most dangerous part. According to the ASPCA it can cause vomiting, sometimes with blood, dark stools, jaundice, thirst, bloody diarrhoea, bruising and liver failure, up to death; one or two seeds can be enough. In a study of 60 dogs handled by the ASPCA poison control center, the first signs appeared within a day, while blood tests changed only after 24–48 hours. About one dog in three died, and dogs that had eaten seeds tended to become more seriously ill.

Oleander contains glycosides that act on the heart and can cause drooling, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, depression and death. Azaleas and rhododendrons cause vomiting, diarrhoea and weakness and can lead to heart failure. Yew can cause tremors, breathing difficulty and seizures, and sudden death from cardiac failure.42567

03

Spring bulbs and holiday plants

Tulips and daffodils are toxic to dogs, and in both the toxin is most concentrated in the bulb. They can cause vomiting, drooling and diarrhoea; if a dog eats a lot of daffodil, seizures, low blood pressure, tremors and heart rhythm problems sometimes follow. Amaryllis, popular at Christmas, can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, drooling and tremors. When planting or storing bulbs, keep them where your dog cannot reach.

Other plants are less risky than people think. According to the ASPCA, poinsettia toxicity is generally over-rated: the sap irritates the mouth and stomach and sometimes causes vomiting. Holly can cause vomiting, diarrhoea and depression, but its leaves and berries are of low toxicity. True lilies (Lilium), extremely dangerous for cats, are listed by the ASPCA as non-toxic to dogs. In a home where a cat also lives, though, it is better not to keep them.8910111213

04

What to do and how to prevent it

If your dog chewed a plant, move it away and collect the plant or take a photo in which it can be recognised. Note which part was eaten and at what time, then contact a veterinarian as soon as possible. With the most dangerous plants, such as sago palm, do not wait for signs, because liver changes may show up in blood tests only after a day or two.

Prevention starts with knowing which plants are in your home and garden. The ASPCA publishes a list of plants toxic and non-toxic to dogs, with common and scientific names, to check before buying one. Pick up fallen sago palm seeds, store bulbs out of reach and keep an eye on your dog if it tends to chew plants.321

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Sources and checks

Numbers in the text lead to the exact source. Commercial blogs and social posts are not used as evidence.

  1. 1
    Peer-reviewed research article

    Plant poisoning in domestic animals: epidemiological data from an Italian survey (2000–2011)

    Veterinary Record (2013) · PubMed PMID 23716536 · Milan Poison Control Centre data on all domestic animals: dogs most often involved (61.8%), outcomes, most frequent plants (sago palm, poinsettia, hydrangea, oleander, rhododendrons, Prunus).

    Link checked on 16 Sept 2026
  2. 2
    Peer-reviewed research article

    Cycad palm toxicosis in dogs: 60 cases (1987–1997)

    Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (1998) · PubMed PMID 9656033 · 60 dogs from the ASPCA poison control database: signs within a day, laboratory changes after 24–48 hours, 32% mortality, worse outcomes after eating seeds.

    Link checked on 16 Sept 2026
  3. 3
    Institutional poison control centre

    Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List: Dogs

    ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center · List of plants toxic and non-toxic to dogs, with common and scientific names.

    Link checked on 16 Sept 2026
  4. 4
    Institutional poison control centre

    Cycads (Sago Palm)

    ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center · Toxic to dogs and cats; vomiting that may be bloody, dark stools, jaundice, thirst, bloody diarrhoea, bruising, liver failure; one or two seeds can be fatal.

    Link checked on 16 Sept 2026
  5. 5
    Institutional poison control centre

    Oleander

    ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center · Cardiac glycosides; drooling, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, depression, death.

    Link checked on 16 Sept 2026
  6. 6
    Institutional poison control centre

    Azalea (Rhododendron)

    ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center · Grayanotoxins; vomiting, diarrhoea, weakness, cardiac failure.

    Link checked on 16 Sept 2026
  7. 7
    Institutional poison control centre

    Yew

    ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center · Taxine; tremors, dyspnoea, seizures in dogs, sudden death from cardiac failure.

    Link checked on 16 Sept 2026
  8. 8
    Institutional poison control centre

    Tulip

    ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center · Vomiting, depression, diarrhoea, drooling; toxin most concentrated in the bulb.

    Link checked on 16 Sept 2026
  9. 9
    Institutional poison control centre

    Daffodil (Narcissus)

    ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center · Vomiting, drooling, diarrhoea; large ingestions cause seizures, low blood pressure, tremors, arrhythmias; bulbs most toxic.

    Link checked on 16 Sept 2026
  10. 10
    Institutional poison control centre

    Amaryllis

    ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center · Vomiting, depression, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, drooling, anorexia, tremors.

    Link checked on 16 Sept 2026
  11. 11
    Institutional poison control centre

    Poinsettia

    ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center · Sap irritating to mouth and stomach, sometimes vomiting; toxicity generally over-rated.

    Link checked on 16 Sept 2026
  12. 12
    Institutional poison control centre

    English Holly

    ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center · Vomiting, diarrhoea, depression; leaves and berries of low toxicity.

    Link checked on 16 Sept 2026
  13. 13
    Institutional poison control centre

    Easter Lily (Lilium longiflorum)

    ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center · Toxic to cats, non-toxic to dogs: cats are the only species known to be affected.

    Link checked on 16 Sept 2026

This guide cannot identify a plant or assess an individual ingestion. After an actual or suspected exposure, contact a veterinarian immediately.

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