These plants in your home and landscape can be poisonous for pets

Recently, a woman came to our office because her dog had just died. She wanted to see if any of the plants in her new home's landscape were the cause.

The first plant she showed me was the ti plant, Cordyline terminalis, and I told her that it is toxic to dogs, especially if they chew the stem. The second plant she showed me was the variegated arboricola, Schefflera arboricola. That is also toxic to dogs.

The good news is that with a little knowledge, no pet (or their concerned owner) needs to suffer from poisonous plants. I have personally experienced the fear and expense of emergency veterinary hospital care. The outcome was good for us, but it was still an expensive and long ordeal. I hope this article can save other pets from ingesting a toxic plant.

Below is a list of more poisonous plants divided into groups by their use or if they are volunteers (because birds can drop the seeds in your yard.)

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If you ever discover, or suspect, your dog or cat has ingested a poison, immediately induce vomiting by giving them hydrogen peroxide. This one action is what saved our miniature Dachshund from certain death after eating a portion of a king sago pup (new side shoot) that had fallen off the plant when we removed it from the landscape. If you own a large dog, you can put hydrogen peroxide (which will lose strength if the bottle has been opened) in a cup and pour it down the dog's throat. A syringe can be used to get hydrogen peroxide down a small dog's throat. You may need to administer the hydrogen peroxide repeatedly to small dogs until they vomit.

It's important to learn how to identify these plants so that you can keep your pet away from them. To find photos of these plants, do a Google Images search by typing the scientific name in the search window. The results of the search will be multiple photos of the plant. While you’re at it, check out all the other plants, food, medicine and other products that pose a danger to your pet at the ASPCA siteaspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants.

If you discover a toxic plant in or around your home, you can either remove it or move it to a location where your pet can't reach it. This works both inside and outside of the home. For those who walk their dog, be sure to always keep an eye out for toxic plants in your neighbor's yards or wild areas. If you notice your pet eating something outside, see what it is to ensure it's not harmful. The faster you act, the better the outcome. It's easy to protect your pets from poisonous plants, once you know what to look for.

Sally Scalera is an urban horticulture agent and master gardener coordinator for the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences. Email her at [email protected].