Key Takeaways

  • Be cautious with pothos plants, as they can cause vomiting, difficulty swallowing, and excessive drooling in dogs.
  • Jade plants can lead to vomiting, depression, and incoordination in dogs, so keep them away.
  • Poinsettia plants have an irritant sap that can cause vomiting and mouth pain in dogs, so keep them out of reach during the holidays.

There are a variety of houseplants that look beautiful, have benefits to humans, but are also harmful to dogs. Knowing which plants can harm your furry companion is the first step to avoiding disaster. If you have a plant that's toxic to dogs it's up to you whether you want to choose a safe plant, or just keep the potentially dangerous plant in another room or location your dog can't reach.

Discover ten common household plants that are also toxic to dogs as well as what potential problems they might cause if your dog comes in contact with them.

If you think your dog has come in contact with a toxic plant call your vet right away! They can tell you whether you should be concerned about the symptoms and what your next step should be.

1 Pothos

Earns its nickname of devil's ivy

golden pothos closeup indoor
Image credit: Robi_J via Canva

Toxic Ingredient

Symptoms in Dogs

Part of the Plant

  • Insoluble calcium oxalates
  • Vomiting
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Pain in the mouth and throat
  • Excessive drooling
  • Swelling in the face, around the mouth and tongue
  • All parts, but the leaves are worst

Pothos plants are tropical vines that are popular as houseplants. While they won't kill your dog if ingested, if you have a pothos plant in your home, be cautious and keep it out of your pet's reach.

2 Jade Plant

Lucky to humans, harmful to dogs

Toxic Ingredient

Symptoms in Dogs

Part of the Plant

  • Unknown
  • Vomiting
  • Depression
  • Incoordination
  • Listlessness
  • Unknown

It's not known to scientists why jade plants are toxic to dogs, but you should keep them away from them all the same. If you have a jade plant, and you think your dog has ingested any part of the plant, take them to the vet as soon as possible.

3 Poinsettia

Not a source of holiday joy to your dog

Poinsettias are toxic to dogs

Toxic Ingredient

Symptoms in Dogs

Part of the Plant

  • Irritant sap
  • Vomiting
  • Mouth pain
  • Sap

The beautiful red flowers on poinsettia plants are a classic sign that the holidays have arrived, and they're often given as gifts. If you received a poinsettia this year make sure to keep it on a high table out of the reach of your pets.

4 Philodendron

Large leaves could cause a lage problem

Toxic Ingredient

Symptoms in Dogs

Part of the Plant

  • Insoluble calcium oxalates
  • Vomiting
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Pain in the mouth and throat
  • Drooling
  • Swollen face of
  • All parts of the plant

There are several varieties of philodendron plants, and all of them are toxic to dogs. The oxalate crystals inside this plant are quite sharp, and they irritate the inside of your dog's mouth, throat, and ultimately stomach when eaten.

5 Aloe Vera

Soothing to the skin but harmful to your dog

Close-up view of Aloe vera with its distinct spiky leaves.
Image credits: Alvin & Chelsea via Pexels
 

Toxic Ingredient

Symptoms in Dogs

Part of the Plant

  • Saponins
  • Anthraquinones
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Lethargy
  • Bark
  • Leaves

Aloe Vera plants are known for having a gel inside their leaves that's great for treating burns on human skin. Unfortunately, this plant contains two substances that are toxic to dogs. While it's generally believed that the gel inside the leaves is edible, the leaves themselves are harmful so your aloe vera should be kept well away from dogs.

6 Begonia

Pretty but dangerous

Toxic Ingredient

Symptoms in Dogs

Part of the Plant

  • Soluble calcium oxalates
  • Vomiting
  • Excess salivation
  • Roots

The small, colorful flowers and compact growing habit make begonias popular as flowering houseplants. However, there are over 1000 species of begonias and all of them are toxic to dogs. If you think your dog has gotten into your begonia plant call a vet right away.

7 Snake Plant

Won't bite, but it'll still harm your dog

Snake plant

Toxic Ingredient

Symptoms in Dogs

Part of the Plant

  • Saponins
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Nausea
  • Leaves

The classic upright leaves of the snake plant can cause harm to your dog's stomach. If you choose to grow this plant you need to keep on a high table, shelf, or window ledge where your pets can't reach it to take a bite.

8 Asparagus Fern

Harmful to the skin

Toxic Ingredient

Symptoms in Dogs

Part of the Plant

  • Sapogenins
  • Contact - allergic dermatitis
  • Consumption of berries - vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain
  • Leaves
  • Berries

Your dog doesn't have to eat an asparagus fern in order for it to cause damage. Since this plant can harm your pet through ingestion and touch it's best to avoid this plant or keep it in a safe location.

9 Peace Lily

Not so peaceful

Large peace lily in a white pot

Toxic Ingredient

Symptoms in Dogs

Part of the Plant

  • Insoluble calcium oxalates
  • Low heart rate
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Occasionally low blood pressure
  • All parts of the plant

Peace lily plants have large green leaves and a unique, white flower that grows on long stalks. The insoluable calcium oxalates in peace lilies are like sharp crystals. When your dog eats the plant, those crystals break off and become embedded in their mouth and throat causing a host of symptoms. If you choose to grow peace lilies in your house, keep them up and out of the reach of your four legged friends.

10 Mistletoe

Avoid this holiday plant

mistletoe
Image credits: Clement BB via Unsplash

Toxic Ingredient

Symptoms in Dogs

Part of the Plant

  • Lectins
  • Phoratoxins
  • Low heart rate
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Occasionally low blood pressure
  • Leaves
  • Berries

Mistletoe is a common plant in homes around the holidays. This plant is associated with romance, but there's nothing romantic about what it'll do to your dog if they get a hold of it. If you decided to bring mistletoe into your home this holiday season, keep it well out of the reach of your dog — or consider using fake mistletoe instead.

Keep Your Dog Safe

If you want to be 100 percent safe, choose plants that have no potential dangers to your dog. However, if you do choose to keep indoor plants that are toxic to dogs be sure to keep them well out of your pet's reach.

Be sure to share this post with all your friends and family if they own a dog. That way they can keep their furry companion safe as well!