5 Houseplants That Are Dangerous to Dogs

If you want to bring color, air, and more life into any room, you should consider indoor plants. There are plenty of options out there, and you don’t even have to be an expert on plants to care for them. You can always find some low-maintenance indoor house plants that won’t die quickly. 

However, you need to consider a few things, particularly if you have some furry friends at home. Most indoor plants are safe for humans, except for those that have certain allergies. But when it comes to dogs, some of those beautiful and seemingly harmless plants can be very dangerous. 

Here is a list of plants you should avoid getting if you have dogs at home:

1. Lilies

The Lily family is pretty big, and not all of them are toxic to dogs and even cats. However, if you’re still new to indoor house planting, it’s probably best to steer clear until you’re more familiar with the different kinds of lilies out there. 

The Mauna Loa or Peace Lily is toxic for dogs, while the Stargazer is only toxic to cats. If a dog comes into contact or even eats Peace Lilies, they may start vomiting and have a hard time swallowing. It irritates their lips and tongue when consumed. It can be a bit complicated differentiating between Lilies, so just avoid having them in your home in general. 

2. Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is one of the most popular indoor house plants. Not only is it decorative, but you can also use the gel for skin-soothing purposes. However, it has the opposite effect on dogs. 

With an Aloe Vera plant, you might think it’s the gel you should be worried about. If ingested, the gel isn’t all that harmful to your pet. It’s the other parts of the plant that can have adverse effects on your dog’s digestive system.

3. Ivy (Hedera Helix)

Poison Ivy is a pretty but dangerous plant, and it’s for obvious reasons that you can’t have it at home. But other types of ivy can be safe to keep at home. If you have a pet dog, though, it’s best to just admire their beauty from afar or online. Any type of ivy can be harmful to dogs. It may cause them to develop rashes and breathing problems if they happen to eat it. From there, it can get even worse. Ivy can put your dogs in a coma or paralyze them.

4. Jade (Crassula Ovata)

The Jade plant is also known as Jade Tree, Dwarf Rubber Plant, Friendship Tree, and a whole other list of names. It’s a common indoor house plant, and one of the reasons it’s so popular is because of the way it looks. It’s shiny and fleshy, hence the ‘rubber’ in its name. 

But, no matter how nice it looks, it’s not something you should have at home with your dogs. It’s unclear what toxins are found in the plant that’s harmful to dogs and cats, but the effects are vomiting, incoordination (ataxia), slowed heart rate, and depression. 

5. Pothos/Devil’s Ivy (Epipremnum Aureum)

Pothos or Silk Pothos is considered to be a great starter plant for beginners. It’s relatively easy to care for and pretty hard to kill. Unfortunately, it’s toxic to both dogs and cats. The plant can irritate their mouth and tongue. And like the rest of the plants on this list, it can make them vomit, drool excessively, and hamper their swallowing. 

Conclusion

These plants are only a few on a long list of dangerous plants for dogs. However, don’t let this discourage you from getting indoor house plants for your home. 

Although you should avoid getting these plants at first, once you get the hang of proper plant care, including storage, you can probably figure out where to position the plants so that the dogs can’t get to them. 

Dogs are curious creatures. They tend to get into things, chew them up, or eat them. As long as you keep the plants in a place the dogs can’t reach, everyone should be safe and well.

If you are interested in more information, tips, and advice about indoor houseplants, we can help you. Houseplant Advisor is your go-to guide for all things related to houseplants. We want to help make plant care easier and more enjoyable for everyone. Your house plants deserve the best care, and we’re here to make sure they get it! Read our plant guides today to learn more!