Common Plants Poisonous to Dogs

Dogs are curious creatures. They tend to satisfy that curiosity by putting things in their mouths and eating them. In some cases, this curiosity can be fatal. Here is a list of the ten most common plants that are poisonous to dogs. You can find a complete list of toxic plants on the ASPCS website.

1) Grapes and raisins are very toxic to dogs. No one is sure why they are toxic, but they are. People may remember to keep these substances away from their pet but forget about grape vines in the yard. Many times wild grapes will grow along fences. These pose a hazard for your dog.

2) Mushrooms. While there are nontoxic mushrooms, dogs do not seem to discriminate between the toxic and nontoxic ones. Mushrooms often come up in yards after lots of rain. They should be picked and discarded in a way that dogs cannot access them.

3) Marijuana. Dogs are unlikely to find marijuana plants growing in the back yard, but if a dog eats your stash he can become very ill and even die. Whatever your viewpoints on humans using marijuana, keep it away from your dog.

4) Lilies. Many lilies are highly toxic to dogs. These lilies cause gastrointestinal upset, depression, anorexia, and tremors.

5) Black Walnuts. The nuts themselves are not toxic, but when they start to decompose they grow a mold that is extremely toxic to dogs. It causes tremors and seizures. If you own a black walnut tree, rake the nuts up on a regular basis to protect your dogs.

6) Sago Palm. Often used in landscaping, the sago palm has seed pods that attract dogs. Unfortunately, everything about the sago palm is poisonous to dogs. Eating any part of it can lead to death, even if the dog eats only a single seed of the plant.

7) Azalea. The azalea is a pretty flower and is often used in landscaping. It is a member of the rhododendron genus, all of which are toxic to dogs. A dog that eats an azalea can develop digestive upset, drooling, loss of appetite, weakness and leg paralysis. In some cases, eating azalea can lead to coma or death.

8) Castor bean. Castor beans contain ricin, which is deadly. There is no antidote for ricin, and it is invariably fatal at doses as low as one ounce of the seeds. Consuming the leaves or stems, or fewer beans, can burn the dog’s mouth and throat, lead to excessive thirst, vomiting, and diarrhea

9) Daffodils. The daffodil is the first herald of spring in the garden, blooming very early. However, the bulbs and other parts of the plant are toxic. They contain poisonous alkaloids that can cause vomiting, excessive salivation, diarrhea, convulsions, tremors and heart problems.

10) Dieffenbachia (Dumb Cane). This plant has broad variegated leaves and is often recommended as the ideal houseplant to purify the air inside the house. However, it not only burns the mouth and throat but causes the esophagus to swell, potentially blocking the dog’s airway.