These Blooms May Look Beautiful, but They Are Deadly for Your Dog

Many people use brightly colored flowers to fill out their gardens and decorate their homes. Unfortunately, many pet parents don’t know that a fair number of these brilliant blooms can cause serious symptoms — and even death — if ingested by our pets. But how does one tell the difference? How can you find out which flowers are poisonous to dogs? Read on to find out more.

Dogs may be relatively clever creatures, but even the brightest of the bunch could wind up in trouble if they eat one of the following poisonous flowers:

Azaleas

According to the ASPCA, accidentally eaten azaleas can cause vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, coma, hypotension, or cardiovascular collapse. In some cases, it can even cause death.

Amaryllis 

American Bittersweet

Clematis

Eating clematis has been known to cause vomiting, diarrhea, oral ulcers, or loss of balance in some breeds. 

Dahlia

Daisy

Lilies

According to Caeser’s Way, lilies are among the most poisonous flowers to both cats and dogs. The Peace lily, Peruvian lily, Calla lily, Asiatic lily, Day lily, Easter lily, Tiger lily, and Japanese Show lily are all highly toxic. Ingesting only a few petals can result in drooling, stomach problems, kidney failure, and eventual death in some pets. 

Carnation

Narcissus

Daffodil

Like so many other spring bulb flowers, ingested daffodils will cause hypersalivation and gastrointestinal distress resulting in vomiting or diarrhea. According to the ASPCA, they could even lead to depression, low blood pressure, cardiac damage, and seizures if ingested in large enough amounts.

Rhododendron

Begonia

Desert Rose

According to Rover, the beautiful pink desert rose contains a toxin known as cardiac glycoside. This poison has been known to cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, depression, irregular heart rhythm, and even death in some dog breeds.

Foxglove

Gardenia 

Crocus

Crocus plants come in two varieties: one that blooms in spring and one that blooms in autumn. Both are toxic to dogs, but ingestion of the latter could prove deadly. While the spring crocus may cause vomiting, drooling, and diarrhea, the autumnal one has been known to cause liver or kidney damage. It’s also been known to cause bone marrow damage.

Morning Glory

Gardenia 

Tulip

Dogs often go after tulip bulbs — not the flowers. Eating the bulbs can result in intense vomiting, depression, diarrhea, excessive drooling, and lack of appetite.

Lavender 

Hydrangea

Hyacinth

Hyacinths are poisonous in the same way that tulips are. According to Medivet UK, these bulbs contain a toxin which can irritate dogs’ mouths. If ingested, they can also cause gastrointestinal issues, as well as heart and breathing problems.

Everlasting Pea

Primrose

Poinsettia

Many already seem to know that poinsettias are dangerous to dogs, but according to the American Kennel Club, the amount of toxin in your average poinsettia blooms isn’t really enough to prove fatal. These plants should be used and displayed with caution, nevertheless, but ingestion hardly ever comes with serious or fatal consequences for your curious canine. 

If you believe that your dog has ingested any of these flowers, or if they are showing any worrying symptoms, please contact your vet immediately. Many toxins work quickly in canine bodies, and getting them to the doctor in a timely manner could mean the difference between life and death.