Dear Tails,
Our new puppy is a blast, thanks for getting him into the Kindergarten Class... but we had a question. On our walks he was wanting to eat everything he could find! In class we are learning how to walk well on a leash so that is going fine now, but it made us wonder "what plants are bad for him to eat"? Any we should be real wary of?

Thanks
Barb and Rocket


Barb and Rocket,
Thanks for your post. Yes... in general there are lots of pants that are toxic to animals, so its best to keep Rocket from picking up anything by teaching him to heel. I am glad his walking politely on a leash is gong well, but here is a list of the most common toxic plants for pets.

Poisonous Plants

While plants add a touch of color and fragrance to our daily lives they also inject an element of danger into the lives of our pets. More than 700 plants have been identified as producing physiologically active or toxic substances in sufficient amounts to cause harmful effects in animals. Poisonous plants produce a variety of toxic substances and cause reactions ranging from mild nausea to death. Certain animal species may have a peculiar vulnerability to a potentially poisonous plant.
Below is a list of some of the common plants which may produce a toxic reaction in animals. This list is intended only as a guide to plants which are generally identified as having the capability for producing a toxic reaction.
This may not represent a complete list of all poisonous plants. Also, your pet may have a sensitivity or allergy to a plant that is not on the list, resulting in toxicity. Always contact your veterinarian immediately if you think your pet may have ingested a poisonous plant.


PLANT
TOXIC PARTS
PLANT TYPE

Aconite
roots, foliage, seeds
garden flower

Apple
seeds
cultivated tree

Arrowgrasses
leaves
marsh plants

Atropa belladonna
entire plant esp. seeds, roots
garden herb

Autumn Crocus
entire plant
garden flower

Azaleas
entire plant
cultivated & wild shrub

Baneberry
berries, roots
wildflower

Bird-of-Paradise
pods
garden flower

Black locust
entire plant esp. bark, shoots
tree

Bloodroot
entire plant esp. stem, roots
wildflower, herb

Box
entire plant esp. leaves
ornamental shrub

Buckeye
sprouts, nuts, seeds
tree

Buttercup
entire plant esp. leaves
wildflower, garden herb

Caladium
entire plant
house plant

Carolina jessamine
flowers, leaves
ornamental plant

Castor bean
entire plant esp. beans
house plant

Chinaberry tree
berries
tree

Chockcherries
leaves, cherries, pit
wild shrub

Christmas berry
leaves
shrub

Christmas Rose
rootstock, leaves
garden flower

Common privet
leaves, berries
ornamental shrub

Corn cockle
seeds
wildflower, weed

Cowbane
entire plant esp. roots
wildflower, herb

Cow cockle
seeds
wildflower, weed

Cowslip
entire plant esp. leaves, stem
wildflower, herb

Daffodil
bulbs
garden flower

Daphne
bark, berries, leaves
ornamental shrub

Day lily
entire plant is toxic to cats
garden & wildflower

Death Camas
leaves, stems, seeds, flowers
field herb

Delphinium (Larkspur)
entire plant esp. sprouts
wildflower

Dumbcane
entire plant
house plant

Dutchman's breeches
roots, foliage
wild & garden flower

Easter lily
entire plant is toxic to cats
flowering house plant

Elderberry
leaves, bark, roots, buds
tree

Elephant's ear
entire plant
house plant

English Ivy
entire plant esp. leaves, berries
ornamental vine

European Bittersweet
entire plant esp. berries
vine

False Flax
seeds
wild herb

False hellebore
roots, leaves, seeds
ornamental flower

Fan weed
seeds
wildflower, herb

Field peppergrass
seeds
wildflower, herb

Flax
seedpods
wildflower, herb

Foxglove
leaves
wild & garden flower

Holly
berries
shrub

Horsechestnut
nuts, sprouts
tree

Horse nettle
entire plant esp. berries
wildflower, herb

Hyacinth
bulbs
wild & house plant

Iris
leaves, roots
wild & garden flower

Jack-in-the-pulpit
entire plant esp. roots, leaves
wildflower

Jatropha
seeds
tree, shrub

Jerusalem Cherry
unripe fruit, foliage
ornamental plant

Jimsonweed
entire plant esp. seeds
field plant

Laburum
seeds, pods, flowers
ornamental plant

Lantana
foliage
house plant

Larkspur
young plants
wildflower

Laurels
leaves
shrub

Lily of the valley
leaves, flowers
garden & wildflower

Lupines
seeds, pods
shrub

Manchineel Tree
sap, fruit
tree

Matrimony vine
leaves, shoots
ornamental vine

Mayapple
unripe fruit, roots, foliage
wildflower

Milk vetch
entire plant
wildflower

Mistletoe
berries
house plant

Monkshood
entire plant esp. roots, seeds
wildflower

Moonseed
fruit, roots
vine

Morning glory
seeds, roots
wildflower

Mountain mahogany
leaves
shrub

Mustards
seeds
wildflower

Narcissus
bulbs
garden flower

Nicotiana
leaves
garden flower

Nightshade
leaves, berries
wildflower, vine

Oaks
shoots, leaves
tree

Oleander
leaves
ornamental shrub

Philodendrons
entire plant
house plant

Pokeweed
roots, seeds, berries
field plant

Poinsettia
leaves, stem, flowers
house plant

Poison hemlock
leaves, stem, fruit
field plant

Potato
shoots, sprouts
garden plant

Rattle box
entire plant
wildflower

Rhododendron
leaves
ornamental shrub

Rhubarb
leaves
garden plant

Rosary pea
seeds
house plant

Sago palm
entire plant esp seeds
ornamental plant

Skunk cabbage
entire plant esp roots, leaves
marsh plant

Smartweeds
sap
wildflower

Snow-on-the-mountain
sap
field plant

Sorghum
leaves
grass

Star of Bethlehem
entire plant
wildflower

Velvet grass
leaves
grass

Wild black cherry
leaves, pits
tree

Wild radish
seeds
wildflower

Wisteria
pods, seeds
ornamental plant

Woody aster
entire plant
wildflower

Yellow jessamine
entire plant
ornamental vine

Yellow oleander
entire plant esp. leaves
garden plant

Yellow pine flax
entire plant esp. seedpods
wildflower

Yew
bark, leaves, seeds
ornamental tree