High-risk plants to recognise
- Cycas or sago palm: all parts are dangerous, particularly the seeds, and poisoning can cause severe liver injury.
- Yesterday-today-tomorrow (Brunfelsia): can cause drooling, vomiting, tremors, seizures and heart abnormalities. Any ingestion should be treated as life-threatening.
- Oleander: affects the heart and can be fatal.
- Bulbs and corms: several garden species are poisonous, with risks depending on the exact plant and part eaten. Identify the species and obtain advice rather than assuming all bulbs have the same effects.
- Azaleas and rhododendrons: may cause vomiting, weakness and cardiovascular problems.
- Kalanchoe: contains compounds that can affect the heart. Jade plants are also toxic but should not be assumed to contain the same toxin.
Indoor and garden irritants
Philodendron, pothos, monstera and peace lily can irritate the mouth and gastrointestinal tract. Wild mushrooms are difficult to identify safely and should be removed from pet areas. Blood-and-bone fertiliser, pesticides, snail bait and mouldy mulch can be as dangerous as the plants themselves.
Possible poisoning signs
Drooling, pawing at the mouth, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, weakness, wobbliness, tremors, seizures, abnormal heartbeat or collapse all require urgent advice. A dog can initially look well after a dangerous ingestion, so do not wait for symptoms when a known toxic plant was eaten.
Make the garden safer
- Identify plants before allowing unsupervised access.
- Fence off cycads and bulbs or replace them in digging areas.
- Collect prunings immediately.
- Store fertilisers and chemicals in sealed cupboards.
- Teach “leave it” using reward-based training, while still managing access.
A practical garden audit
Walk the areas your dog actually reaches: the fence line, low pots, fallen seed pods, compost area and places where cuttings are piled. Photograph each unknown plant, including leaves, flowers and the whole plant. Ask a nursery or suitable plant expert to help identify it, then check its toxicity using the botanical name. A phone identification app or a vague name such as “jade” should not be your only safety check.
Make three lists: confirmed hazards to remove or securely isolate, unknown plants to keep inaccessible, and areas that still need checking. Recheck after pruning, storms or moving pots. A plant behind a fence can still drop material into the dog's run.
Prepare information for a poisoning call
- Your dog's approximate weight, age and any current symptoms.
- The plant name if known, or clear photographs and its nursery label.
- Which part was eaten: seed, bulb, leaf, flower or cutting.
- The earliest and latest possible time and estimated amount.
Do not spend time collecting perfect evidence if your dog is unwell. Seek urgent care first. Avoid home remedies or attempts to make the dog vomit unless the treating professional gives specific instructions.
Two identification traps
Kalanchoe and jade plants should not be grouped as if they contain the same toxin. Kalanchoe can affect the heart; jade is also toxic to pets, but ASPCA lists its toxic principle as unknown. Similarly, a list of dangerous bulbs is not proof that every plant called a “crocus” has identical risks. Get the exact plant identified and ask for exposure-specific advice.
This article is a starting checklist, not an exhaustive safe-plant catalogue.