Why it is dangerous to dogs
Daffodils contain substances that cause heavy vomiting, drooling and diarrhoea, and if more is eaten they can affect the heart and the blood pressure. The whole plant is poisonous, but the poison is concentrated in the bulbs. Dogs dig them up from flower beds or find them in the shed, where they wait to be planted.
The amount that causes harm differs from dog to dog and cannot be judged at home. More serious signs may not show straight away.
If your dog chewed daffodils or their bulbs, contact a vet or an emergency clinic straight away, even if it seems well. Tell them when it could have happened, and take a photo or a piece of the plant with you.
What to watch out for
- Vomiting, drooling and diarrhoea can follow.
- The dog can have a painful belly and become dull.
- After a bulb is eaten, the heart rhythm can be disturbed and the blood pressure can drop.
- Daffodils in spring bouquets are dangerous too, and so is the vase water.
Which parts are dangerous
Not every part of the plant is equally dangerous.
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Bulbs
DangerousThe poison is concentrated in them.
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Leaves and flowers
DangerousThey are poisonous in the flower bed and in a bouquet alike.
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Vase water
Not safeSap from the plant passes into the water, so do not let your dog drink from the vase.
What it can cause
Signs that can appear after eating it. Each page explains what to look out for and when to hurry to a vet.
Safe plants instead
Plants that are safer to keep.