Free U.S. Shipping & Lifetime Warranty For All Endura Flap Pet Doors

Home > Stories From the Most Energy Efficient Pet Door > Common Garden Plants That Are Toxic To Dogs

Common Garden Plants That Are Toxic To Dogs

Elizabeth Muenzen
Elizabeth Muenzen

Spring is upon us! As the weather gets warmer and the days longer, chances are your dog is spending more time outside. With more outdoor time comes the common concern: What common garden plants are unsafe for dogs? Recognizing all plants poisonous to dogs is essential when you have pets so that you can prevent them from getting sick.

If you plan to celebrate Earth Day this month by sprucing up your garden with a few new plants, make sure to check that they are safe for your pooch!

Check out the list of toxic plants, flowers, shrubs, and trees your dog should avoid below:

Poisonous Flowers

  • Begonia: This tube-shaped, toxic plant causes irritation of the mouth and difficulty swallowing.
  • Foxglove: You might be wondering: is foxglove poisonous to dogs? The answer is yes. Foxglove is extremely toxic for dogs and can cause cardiac failure when ingested.
  • Lily of the Valley: Lily of the Valley causes diarrhea, vomiting, and a drop in heart rate.
  • Iris: Although a beautiful addition to a garden, iris should be avoided by dog owners. This deadly flower can cause irritation, drooling, vomiting, and lethargy.

Poisonous Shrubs

  • Rhododendron: A common shrub used in landscaping. It causes vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, paralysis, and potentially coma.
  • Oleander: This shrub causes vomiting and abnormal heart rate in dogs.
  • Peony: Peony causes vomiting and diarrhea if ingested in large amounts.
  • Holly: A dog who has ingested holly might demonstrate lip-smacking, drooling, and head shaking.

Poisonous Trees

  • Chinaberry: This tree causes seizures, low heart rate, and shock when ingested by dogs.
  • Horse Chestnut: Symptoms of ingestion include vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions, and coma.
  • Japanese Yew: A popular holiday tree, the Japanese Yew causes difficulty breathing, tremors, vomiting, and seizures in dogs.
  • Black walnut: Although the tree itself isn’t dangerous, the nuts of the black walnut tree can fall to the ground and mold very easily, upsetting a dog’s stomach if ingested.
dog using the endura flap dog door for sliding glass doors

For further information, see the American Kennel Club’s article on poisonous plants for dogs.

Whether you’re celebrating Earth Day and Arbor Day, or just doing some springtime gardening, make sure that you are not planting poisonous plants and that anything your dog has access to is safe for them.

The classic Endura Pet Doors for Doors and Pet Doors for Walls are great for letting dogs come and go as they please. However, it is essential to ensure that the yard they now have unsupervised access to is completely safe for them and does not contain any plants toxic to dogs.

Once you’ve checked the yard for any potentially harmful plants, your dog is ready to explore! Check out our tips on treating seasonal allergies in dogs and cats to make sure outdoor time is as enjoyable as possible for your pet.

Elizabeth Muenzen

Written by

Content Specialist
DOG PERSON🐶

Pets: My dog Benji is mixed Yorkie, Poodle, Chihuahua, and MaltiPom (YorkiPooChiMaltiPom?), yet he mysteriously bears no resemblance to any of these breeds.
Fun stuff: I love to cook!

Content Specialist
DOG PERSON🐶

Pets: My dog Benji is mixed Yorkie, Poodle, Chihuahua, and MaltiPom (YorkiPooChiMaltiPom?), yet he mysteriously bears no resemblance to any of these breeds.
Fun stuff: I love to cook!

Leave a Comment

Please note, comments must be approved before they are published

Back to Stories From the Most Energy Efficient Pet Door