Which plants are toxic to dogs?

Cheddar the Corgi was just 8 months old when she suffered poisoning from a very commonly found plant in the garden. She loves being outside, so was happily pottering around while owner Rosie was in the kitchen. Rosie had fenced off a Rhododendron plant having found out it was toxic, however, Cheddar found her way through the fence and had chewed off several branches before Rosie spotted what she was up to. Cheddar was then sick multiple times.

Concerned for her puppy, Rosie called the vet, who advised her to take Cheddar in for some blood tests and monitoring, as the symptoms of poisoning can take 12-24 hours to fully show. Ingesting leaves or flowers of this particular plant can cause nausea, vomiting, depression, and difficulty breathing, in some cases leading to coma or even death.

Cheddar stayed in overnight on a drip, but fortunately, by the next morning, Cheddar was feeling much better and has made a full recovery.

“My advice to any dog owners is to check your garden for any toxic plants. This was such a worrying time, and it could have been avoided if we had simply removed the plant. The vets' bill came to over £1,000. Find out what’s in the garden, use a plant-identifying app if you’re not sure, just take the time to find out.

As well as some unusual varieties, some of the most common plants found in gardens are toxic to dogs. These include:

• Buttercups
• Clematis
• Cyclamen
• Daffodils
• Elderberry
• Foxglove
• Hemlock
• Holly berries
• Oak tree foliage and acorns
• Yew berries and foliage

Find out more about the plants in your garden that are toxic to your pets here: Poisonous plants factsheet

Plant identifying apps, such as Picture This, are helpful if you're not sure what's what: for Android or for iPhone