Horticultural Horrors for Hounds

There are many plants commonly found in home gardens which could prove lethal to dogs and especially puppies (who chew everything) - not to mention yourself and your children. Below is a list of some of those plants with the effects they can have if eaten - even in small quantities.

Plant Name	Poisonous Part	Effects
AZALEA	Entire plant	Paralysis of the muscles, including the heart. Depression of central nervous system. Sometimes fatal.
BIRD OF PARADISE	Seed pods	Nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea
BUTTERCUP & RANUNCULUS	Entire plant	Stomach irritation/diarrhoea/convulsions
CALLA LILY	Entire plant	Intense burning sensation/ irritation of the mouth and stomach
CASTOR BEAN	Entire plant but especially the seeds	Burning sensation in the mouth. Eating two or more seeds may cause serious illness/death
DAFFODIL	Bulb	Severe vomiting and diarrhoea, trembling, convulsions and sometimes death
DAPHNE	Entire plant	Burning and ulceration of stomach and intestines, bloody vomiting and diarrhoea
ENGLISH IVY	Leaves/berries	General excitement, difficulty breathing/coma
HOLLY	Berries	Vomiting, diarrhoea, weakness/collapse
IRIS	Leaves, roots & fleshy portions	Severe but temporary digestive upset
JERUSALEM CHERRY	Berries	Vomiting, diarrhoea and collapse
LANTANA	Berries	Gastro-intestinal irritation/muscular weakness/ circulatory difficulties, sometimes fatal
OLEANDER	Entire Plant	Nausea, depression, bloody diarrhoea, weakened and irregular pulse and Paralysis
POINSETTIA	Leaves/stem	Diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, delirium. Sap cancause skin irritation. If rubbed in eyes, blindness
POISON OAK	Leaves	Skin irritation
PRIVET	Entire plant	Bloody vomiting, diarrhoea, severe irritation of the digestive tract, general nervous symptoms
RHUBARB	Leaves	Vomiting, severe abdominal pain, muscle cramps and in large quantities, convulsions/coma/death
WISTERIA	Entire plant	Severe vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea
YELLOW JASMINE	Entire plant	Thirst/ dilated pupils/reddened skin/headache

It is not safe to assume that just because you can eat one part of a plant, the rest isn't poisonous. For instance, although we eat peaches, both the stone and leaf contain cyanide. Apricots also contain cyanide and children have actually died from eating too many apricot kernels. Although rhubarb stalks are good to eat, the leafy portion has been known to cause fatalities in humans.

Horticultural Horrors for Hounds

Recent Articles