Common Northern NSW Plants Toxic to Dogs and Cats (Including Indoor Varieties)

CYCAS REVOLUTA (Cycad / Sago Palm)
☠️ Toxic parts: Seeds (most toxic), leaves and trunk.
🚑 Severity: HIGH (potentially fatal).
🤒 Symptoms: Vomiting, bloody diarrhoea, jaundice, liver failure, haemorrhagic gastroenteritis.

NERIUM OLEANDER (Oleander)
☠️ Toxic parts: All parts of the plant, including water from a vase.
🚑 Severity: HIGH (potentially fatal).
🤒 Symptoms: Severe vomiting, diarrhoea, cardiac arrhythmias, weakness, tremors, potentially death.

BRUGMANSIA (Angel’s Trumpet)
☠️ Toxic parts: All parts, especially seeds and leaves.
🚑 Severity: HIGH.
🤒 Symptoms: Dilated pupils, confusion, rapid heart rate, tremors, disorientation, dry mouth.

SANSEVIERIA TRIFASCIATA (Mother-in-Law’s Tongue / Snake Plant)
☠️ Toxic parts: Leaves.
🚑 Severity: MILD to MODERATE.
🤒 Symptoms: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea.

DIEFFENBACHIA (Dumb Cane / Leopard Lily)
☠️ Toxic parts: All parts.
🚑 Severity: MODERATE to HIGH.
🤒 Symptoms: Intense oral irritation and burning, drooling, vomiting, difficulty swallowing due to swelling, calcium oxalate crystals embedding in the mucosa.

BRUNFELSIA (Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow)
☠️ Toxic parts: Berries, flowers and leaves.
🚑 Severity: HIGH (potentially fatal).
🤒 Symptoms: Severe vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle tremors, seizures.

PERSEA AMERICANA (Avocado)
☠️ Toxic parts: Fruit, pit and leaves.
🚑 Severity: MILD to MODERATE.
🤒 Symptoms: Vomiting and diarrhoea. The pit is also a common obstruction risk in dogs.

TRADESCANTIA FLUMINENSIS (Wandering Jew)
☠️ Toxic parts: Leaves and stems.
🚑 Severity: MILD (dermal irritant).
🤒 Symptoms: Skin irritation and itchy rash, particularly on the abdomen and groin.

RICINUS COMMUNIS (Castor Bean)
☠️ Toxic parts: Seeds (contain ricin).
🚑 Severity: EXTREME (potentially fatal).
🤒 Symptoms: Severe abdominal pain, often bloody vomiting, diarrhoea, dehydration, organ failure, death.

RHODODENDRON (Azalea / Rhododendron)
☠️ Toxic parts: All parts.
🚑 Severity: HIGH.
🤒 Symptoms: Vomiting, diarrhoea, drooling, lethargy, low blood pressure, coma, potentially death.

SPATHIPHYLLUM (Peace Lily)
☠️ Toxic parts: All parts (contain insoluble calcium oxalates).
🚑 Severity: MODERATE.
🤒 Symptoms: Oral irritation, intense burning of the mouth, tongue and lips, drooling, vomiting, difficulty swallowing.

ZAMIOCULCAS ZAMIIFOLIA (Zanzibar Plant / ZZ Plant)
☠️ Toxic parts: Leaves.
🚑 Severity: MILD to MODERATE.
🤒 Symptoms: Vomiting, diarrhoea, drooling, stomach pain.

EPIPREMNUM AUREUM (Pothos / Devil’s Ivy)
☠️ Toxic parts: All parts (contain insoluble calcium oxalates).
🚑 Severity: MILD to MODERATE.
🤒 Symptoms: Oral irritation, vomiting, difficulty swallowing.

🚨 IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED 🚨

If you suspect your dog or cat has ingested any toxic plant material:

  1. Do NOT wait for symptoms. Contact your veterinarian or a 24-hour animal poison control centre immediately.
  2. Bring a sample of the plant (or a photo) with you to the veterinarian for positive identification.

Emergency Afterhours Contacts:

ServiceContact Detail
Afterhours – SASH Robina(07) 5584 7300
AES Carrara0755591599
Animal Poisons Helpline (Australia)1300 869 738 (Available 24/7)

Plants Causing Allergic Reactions

ACACIA (Wattle)
☠️ Allergenic part: Pollen.
🚑 Severity: MILD to MODERATE.
🤒 Symptoms: Itchy skin (pruritus), paw chewing, red ears, sneezing, runny eyes, head shaking.

LOLIUM (Rye Grass)
☠️ Allergenic part: Pollen.
🚑 Severity: MILD to MODERATE.
🤒 Symptoms: Contact dermatitis, excessive licking or chewing of paws, inflamed skin, seasonal itching.

STENOTAPHRUM SECUNDATUM (Buffalo Grass)
☠️ Allergenic part: Blades and seed heads.
🚑 Severity: MILD (contact irritant).
🤒 Symptoms: Contact dermatitis, itchy belly and paws, red bumps, hair loss in affected areas.

LANTANA CAMARA (Lantana)
☠️ Allergenic part: Leaves, stems and flowers (ingestion is toxic; contact causes irritation).
🚑 Severity: MILD (contact).
🤒 Symptoms: Skin irritation, redness and rash due to contact with irritating hairs or sap.

LIGUSTRUM (Privet)
☠️ Allergenic part: Pollen.
🚑 Severity: MILD to MODERATE.
🤒 Symptoms: Seasonal rhinitis (sneezing, runny nose and eyes), itchy skin, head rubbing.

TRADESCANTIA FLUMINENSIS (Wandering Jew)
☠️ Allergenic part: Leaves and stems.
🚑 Severity: MILD (dermal irritant).
🤒 Symptoms: Severe skin irritation and itchy rash, particularly on the abdomen and groin; commonly a contact dermatitis.

For help choosing the right plants for your garden, ask the wonderful team at AURA nursery.

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