Mary Allen
The consumption of poisonous plants is an often underestimated danger for our domestic animals. Even small amounts can trigger serious illnesses or even lead to the death of the beloved animal. That is why it is important for you as a pet owner to find out which plants are poisonous to your pet.
Why do pets ingest poisonous plants?
Cats
The consumption of poisonous plants is more common in house cats that are not outdoors than in outdoor cats. This is often due to the lack of non-toxic grasses available to outdoor cats. These are eaten to induce vomiting, thereby removing hair and other matter from the stomach. Indoor cats that don’t have access to grass will occasionally resort to houseplants, often poisonous. Therefore, it is advisable not to have toxic plants in the apartment. You can also provide your indoor cat with a pot of cat grass and catnip so that it can satisfy its “grass hunger”.
Dogs
Dogs will nibble or even eat plants when they are bored or underwhelmed. It is used for relaxation in stressful interactions with other dogs. Very curious dogs, especially puppies, also do this out of sheer exploratory behavior and learn from their mother. There is also the assumption that dogs eat grass to regulate their digestion. As long as it’s grass, that’s not a problem at first. But it is essential that poisonous plants are kept out of the reach of dogs, or even better, do not find their way into the house or garden at all. Also, weeds should not be consumed in large chunks including soil.
Pets
Since pets like to chew on things in their environment, it’s important to keep poisonous plants out of reach. A lack of raw fiber or a lack of employment can also lead to poisonous plants being gnawed on. A potential source of danger can also be people who unknowingly feed the animals poisonous plants. Therefore: Do not leave any poisonous plants in the accessible area in the apartment or in the outdoor enclosure. Also, be careful with green waste: Some poisonous plants lose their bitter taste when they dry and are then eaten – but they are still poisonous.
Poisonous plants in pets: which ones are there?
There are a lot of plants that are poisonous to animals in the house, garden, and nature. This table gives you a summary. Of course, there may be other poisonous plants that are not listed here.
The following table is intended to provide an alphabetical overview of the poisonous plants for dogs and cats:
| Alpenrosenarten/ Rhododendron | Arborvitae species |
| Berry yew | Privet |
| Bittermandelbaum | Lobelia species |
| Blue-green algae | Lupine species |
| Blue rain | Lily of the valley |
| Boxwood | Mancinelli tree |
| Variegated | Mask sheet |
| Dieffenbachia | Mistletoe |
| Ivy | Monster species |
| Monkshood species | Nutmeg |
| Anthurium flowers | Ergot |
| Germer species | Solanum species (potatoes, tomatoes, angel’s trumpet, henbane…) |
| Laburnum | Hellebore species |
| Groundman | Oleander |
| Buttercup species | Parsely |
| Hemp | Philodendron species |
| Autumn crocus | Primrose species |
| Elder | Rhubarb |
| Dog parsley | Delphinium species |
| Japanese Yew | Knight star |
| Imperial crowns | Castor bean |
| Imperial lilies | Rose laurel |
| Croton | Butter word |
The following table is intended to provide an ordered overview of the poisonous plants for pets:
| Tree friend | Broom |
| Birch fig | Bittersweet nightshade |
| Broad-leaved vetchling | Christ rose |
| Christusdorn | Dieffenbachia |
| Scented Angel Trumpets | Ivy |
| A leaf | Elephant ear |
| European yew | European grapevine |
| Window leaf | Spring crocus |
| Spotted Aaron staff | Common silk blast |
| Common Milkweed | Common Buttercup |
| Laburnum | Large-flowered clematis |
| Large flamingo flower | Hyacinthe |
| Cat tail | Tuberous begonia |
| Cob thread | Coral tree |
| Croton | Lily of the valley |
| Mistletoe | Oleander |
| Frieze | Purpurtube |
| Rhododendron | Rizinus |
| Black Locust | Red Foxglove |
| Sander’s arrow blade | Black elder |
| Black nightshade | Star magnolia |
| Pedunculate oak | Plate |
| Many-leaved lupine | Wax flower |
| Walnut tree | Christmas star |
| Zamioculas | Zimmercalla |
| Cypress Spurge |
Plants that are poisonous to other animals are also poisonous to reptiles. Since the species in reptiles are very different, there can also be exceptions.
In any case, the following plants are poisonous to reptiles:
- Azalea flowers
- Yew trees
- Ficus leaves
- Buttercup
- Cabbages
- Narcissus flowers and leaves
- Marsh marigold
Symptoms after consumption of poisonous plants
If your animal has eaten a poisonous plant, it depends very much on the type of plant, the parts of the plant ingested (not all are equally poisonous, e.g. the flower is not, the leaves are), and of course, the amount, which and how severe the symptoms of poisoning occur.
Possible symptoms after ingestion of poisonous plants are
- increased salivation;
- vomit;
- diarrhea;
- loss of appetite;
- abdominal pain (arched back);
- nervous disorders such as restlessness, tremors, uncoordinated movements, or seizures;
- weakness;
- circulatory shock;
- increased breathing, mouth breathing;
- decreased body temperature;
- coma to sudden death.
In dogs, skin inflammation, gum inflammation, or eye inflammation also occur. These symptoms can occur individually or together.
Reptiles
You can observe the following symptoms in your reptile after ingesting poisonous plant parts, several can also occur at the same time:
- nervous disorders such as tremors, uncoordinated movements, or seizures;
- digestive problems such as diarrhea, vomiting/choking depending on the species;
- swollen eyelids;
- pale mucous membrane;
- until sudden death.
My animal has eaten a poisonous plant: what should I do?
If you suspect poisonous plants, please contact your veterinarian immediately, time is of the essence. It’s important to be as specific as possible with your veterinarian about what and how much of the plant your pet has eaten. It is best to take pictures or bring parts of plants with you.
Important: Do not wait for possible symptoms!
Treatment of poisoning
The vet has several treatment options available. As with all poisonings (e.g. chocolate poisoning in dogs), the aim is to remove the toxic substances from the organism as far as possible before they are absorbed into the bloodstream. In addition, the consequences of the poison should be mitigated.
This is why time is so crucial: the sooner the vet can help, the better. Immediately after ingestion, the plant parts are still undigested in the stomach. Appropriate medication can be used to induce vomiting in dogs and cats. Furthermore, activated carbon binds toxins in the gastrointestinal tract and laxatives to accelerate the removal. Diuretics and fluids (in the form of an infusion) promote excretion in the urine.
If these methods are no longer (cannot) effective enough, antidotes can be used in some cases. However, this only works if the exact poison is known and the antidote is available. The veterinarian will always stabilize the animal at the same time as it shows symptoms. These include circulation-stabilizing drugs, infusions, painkillers, or similar.
Prognosis
Whether the animal survives the incident well depends on many things: Which plant was it and how much of it was eaten? What action was taken quickly and what are the symptoms of the animal? Did it have previous illnesses (e.g. kidney damage) that made the poison more dangerous? It is therefore not possible to make a general forecast of how the incident will end.
Rule of thumb: The faster the vet can treat, the better the prospects.
Toxic plants in domestic and pet animals: conclusion
There are many poisonous plants for our pets. Therefore, avoid poisonous plants in your home and garden if your pets are there. Pay attention to what your dog eats when you go for a walk. And if it does happen: go to the vet quickly!