Pet owners beware: These plants can be hazardous to dogs, cats and horses | Sally Scalera
Recently, a woman came to our office because her dog had just died. She wanted to see if any of the plants in her new home’s landscape were the cause.
The first plant she showed me was the ti plant, Cordyline terminalis, and I told her that it is toxic to dogs, especially if they chew the stem. The second plant she showed me was the variegated arboricola, Schefflera arboricola. That is also toxic to dogs.
The good news is that with a little knowledge, no pet (or their concerned owner) needs to suffer from poisonous plants. I have personally experienced the fear and expense of emergency veterinary hospital care. The outcome was good for us, but it was still an expensive and long ordeal. I hope this article can save other pets from ingesting a toxic plant.
Below is a list of more poisonous plants divided into groups by their use or if they are volunteers (because birds can drop the seeds in your yard.)
Poisonous houseplants and landscape plants
Dracaena (Dracaena marginata ‘Tricolor’ and all species). Two small dogs chewed on the trunk of this plant and died. Therefore, I consider this a poisonous plant for dogs. This plant is used as a houseplant and an ornamental in the landscape.
Easter lily (Lilium longiflorum). This popular Easter plant will cause cat kidney failure if even a few leaves or pollen are eaten.
English and Algerian ivy (Hedera helix & H. canariensis). All parts of this houseplant are toxic, especially the leaves and berries.
Gloriosa lily (Gloriosa superba). All parts of this ornamental plant are toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Ingestion of any part of this plant can cause death due to kidney failure.
Peace lily (Spathiphyllum spp.). This common houseplant or shade-tolerant ornamental is toxic to both dogs and cats.
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Poisonous landscape plants
Azaleas (Rhodoendron spp.). All parts of this shrub are toxic.
Caladium (Caladium spp.). All parts of this colorful ornamental foliage plant are poisonous, especially the corms.
Coontie (Zamia integrifolia). All parts of this native ornamental plant are toxic to dogs, livestock and humans. Because this plant is low growing and the brightly colored seeds are at ground level, they pose a hazard to young children and small pets. To be safe, remove the seeds when they begin to develop.
Crown of thorns (Euphorbia milii). This plant has toxic sap, but why any pet would even try to eat it is a mystery, because they are typically covered in thorns. There are thornless varieties, though. These plants produce colorful flowers and don’t require much care, so plant them where your dog cannot get to them.
Daylily (Hemerocallis spp.). All parts, especially the leaves, of this ornamental ground cover are toxic to cats.
Golden dewdrop (Duranta repens). This ornamental shrub produces toxic berries, and the foliage is also considered toxic.
King sago (Cycas revoluta) and Queen sago (Cycas circinalis). All parts of these ornamental plants are toxic, especially the seeds. Two seeds are enough to kill a dog, and ingesting any of the plant parts will harm the liver, possibly leading to death.
Lantana (Lantana camara). All parts of this invasive shrub are poisonous, especially the leaves and green berries. This plant can be fatal to children, dogs and horses.
Oleander (Nerium oleander). This entire shrub, including the smoke, is poisonous. Children can even be poisoned by carrying the flowers in their mouths.
Poisonous volunteer plants and weeds
Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana). All parts of this weed are poisonous, especially the berries and roots. Ingestion can cause vomiting, spasms and severe convulsions, resulting in death. This native perennial can be found from Maine to Florida and west to Texas. It grows tall with thick, red stems and large dark green foliage. Birds can eat the fruit without harm and disperse the seeds in yards and wild areas.
Air potato (Dioscorea bulbifera) is toxic for pets and humans if the aerial bulbils or underground tubers are consumed.
Poisonous vegetable plants
Tomato plants and green tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) If large amounts of the stems, leaves, and/or green tomatoes are consumed, it could harm both dogs and cats.
Onions, leeks and chives are members of the Allium plant family, and they are poisonous to dogs, but more poisonous to cats. For owners of Japanese dog breeds, such as Akitas and Shiba, they suffer more seriously from onion poisoning, per the American Kennel Club’s information.
If you ever discover, or suspect, your dog or cat has ingested a poison, immediately induce vomiting by giving them hydrogen peroxide. This one action is what saved our miniature Dachshund from certain death after eating a portion of a king sago pup (new side shoot) that had fallen off the plant when we removed it from the landscape. If you own a large dog, you can put hydrogen peroxide (which will lose strength if the bottle has been opened) in a cup and pour it down the dog’s throat. A syringe can be used to get hydrogen peroxide down a small dog's throat. You may need to administer the hydrogen peroxide repeatedly to small dogs until they vomit.
It’s important to learn how to identify these plants so that you can keep your pet away from them. To find photos of these plants, do a Google Images search by typing the scientific name in the search window. The results of the search will be multiple photos of the plant. While you’re at it, check out all the other plants, food, medicine and other products that pose a danger to your pet at the ASPCA siteaspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants.
If you discover a toxic plant in or around your home, you can either remove it or move it to a location where your pet can’t reach it. This works both inside and outside of the home. For those who walk their dog, be sure to always keep an eye out for toxic plants in your neighbor’s yards or wild areas. If you notice your pet eating something outside, see what it is to ensure it’s not harmful. The faster you act, the better the outcome. It’s easy to protect your pets from poisonous plants, once you know what to look for.
Sally Scalera is an urban horticulture agent and master gardener coordinator for the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences. Email her at sasc@ufl.edu.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: These plants in your home and landscape can be poisonous for pets
