Plants to avoid if you have a dog: A guide to keeping pets safe

If you own a dog or plan to own one, you should know that some plants can threaten your pet's health and even its life. Some of these plants are very popular; many people have them at home.

Many people around the world own dogs. However, not everyone knows that the plants kept in their homes or gardens can pose a threat to their pet's health and life. Dog owners should know from the very beginning which plants to avoid to prevent their pets from facing serious health problems.

Do you have many plants in your home? Or do you often take your dog for walks in places with lots of flowers? If so, you must be vigilant and ensure your dog does not eat any of them.

Let's start with cut flowers that are harmful to dogs. These include carnations, lilies, tulips, dahlias, narcissi, daffodils, lilies of the valley, and gladioli.

The same caution applies to potted plants, which can contain substances dangerous to animals. These include aloe, azalea, ivy, dracaena, fig tree, gardenia, yucca, philodendron, clivia, geranium, and poinsettia (spurge).

If you have a dog, avoid lavender, boxwood, hydrangea, hyacinth, chrysanthemum, chamomile, pelargonium, daisy, and wolfsbane in your garden.

If you love bouquets of cut flowers and garden plants, you don’t have to give up on all of them. Some are not harmful to animals, so you can safely keep them at home or plant them in the garden. They won't cause any digestive issues for your dog.

Gerberas, roses, and sunflowers, as well as African violets, palms, streptocarpus, zebra haworthia, peperomia, and echeveria, are considered safe for dogs.

Safe garden plants include basil, cilantro, mallow, dill, lemon balm, nasturtium, golden timber bamboo, cornflower, camellia, and calendula.

It's worth knowing that orchids, commonly found in many homes, do not threaten dogs' health—however, preparations used as plant protection products can be harmful.