House Plants that are Poisonous to Dogs

House plants are a great way to add some organic decorative greenery (and extra oxygen) to your home. Planting has long been known to be therapeutic, as well. Before you go running to the store, though, as a pet parent, you should be aware of some of the most common house plants that are actually extremely poisonous to Fido – so you can steer clear of them.

Aloe Plant (Aloe Vera)

As a pet parent, Aloe Vera has healing qualities and various other incredible uses. But for Fido, it can be quite dangerous. The gel found inside the leaves, when used topically, isn’t usually a problem. It’s other components that, when chewed on by your pooch, can irritate their digestive system, leading to vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, and even tremors.

Jade Plant (Crassula Argentea)

Jade Plants are known for being hard to kill (even for those who lack a green thumb). Some also have the ability to live up to 100 years. If your canine starts to nibble on a Jade Plant, though, they’ll experience vomiting, slowed heart rate, incoordination, as well as depression – which is hard to identify in dogs. So with that being said, it can sometimes be difficult even to recognize that Fido ingested this plant, but that that doesn’t make it any less poisonous.

Golden Pothos (Epipremnum Aureum)

Another easy to grow plant with minimal needs is the Golden Pothos. Unfortunately, that doesn’t make it any less harmful to your pooch. Symptoms, if ingested, can include oral irritation, burning mouth, tongue and lips, excessive drooling, vomiting, and difficulty breathing.

English Ivy (Hedera Helix)

English Ivy is a beautiful plant that many homeowners purchase due to its decorative appearance. It may look aesthetically pleasing, but that won’t really matter if your dog ends up eating some of its leaves. If ingested, your pooch could have difficulty breathing, develop a rash, experience abdominal pain, and in severe cases, even experience paralysis or fall into a coma.

Dumbcane (Dieffenbachia)

Many of these plants are known for being low maintenance, which is one of their biggest appeals to homeowners. Unfortunately, many of them, like Dumbcane, have a pattern of being poisonous to your furry friend. If your canine were to eat the leaves of this plant, it would create immense swelling in the mouth and tongue – in effect causing breathing and swallowing to be extremely difficult, and in some unfortunate cases, even death.

Due to the dangers, these houseplants hold for your beloved pup, it’s best not to bring them into your home at all. Unless the plant is so high up, it’s out of Fido’s reach, you shouldn’t risk it – and even then, if the plant starts to lose leaves, they could land on the ground right in your canine’s path.

If you ever suspect that your dog has ingested a poisonous plant, immediately contact your primary veterinarian or call ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.