Pothos Plants: Are Pothos Toxic to Dogs?

It’s common for a person who is a pet owner to have questions about the toxicity of pothos plants to their pets, including dogs, cats, or other animals.

Before I used to get worried about the same questions because I have a dog in my house and I was planning to plant pothos in my garden but before planting I wanted to get clear in mind, is it safe to grow pothos in a house where there is dog or other pets?

I’ve explained all my research regarding the toxicity of pothos to dogs, and I’m pretty sure that after reading it, you’ll have all the answers to your questions. If you have further questions, feel free to ask me in the comment section.

Pothos houseplants:

They are vining varieties that are native to French Polynesia which is known for their waxy, heart-shaped leaves having gold, white, or yellow variegation. The pothos are houseplants that are very easy to grow indoors. They are becoming invasive plants in some parts of the United States. You may get confused with philodendron because of having bigger leaves and grooved vines.

Why to Keep Pets Away:

The pothos plants are toxic to pets such as cats or dogs whoever eats them may experience vomiting, excessive drooling, and difficulty swallowing. 

While pothos are not fatal to pets, they are toxic. If your cat or dog eats this plant, it may experience vomiting, excessive drooling, and difficulty swallowing. You should consult a veterinarian if you think your pet has ingested pothos. You need to keep the pets away from this plant and you can place them in an area where they cannot reach easily.

The following is some information based on the pothos plant and they are toxic to dogs.

Pothos Plants Release Calcium Oxalate Crystals:

The plant is used to release calcium oxalate crystals when the dog is chewing it. The crystal will cause the dog’s mouth and throat to burn. The burning of the mouth is the first common symptom of ingestion. After which the dog can suffer from vomiting excessive drooling and difficulty swallowing the food

Can Cause the Mouth and Throat to Burn:

The following are some problems that are caused by eating the pothos plant:

• It will start burning in the mouth and throat part of the dog.
• It can lead to vomiting, excessive drooling, difficulty in swallowing and sometimes you may have to take the dog to the hospital.
• There are many cases in which the dog is okay after ingesting a small amount of pothos plant but ingesting a large amount of the plant will cause harmful effects on the dog.

 

Vomiting, Excessive Drooling, and Difficulty Swallowing:

• If the pothos plant is ingested in large amounts the dog will experience vomiting, excessive drooling, and difficulty in swallowing food.
• The first symptom of ingestion of the plant is the burning of the mouth and throat part of the dog.

Require Hospital Care for Pets:

• Most of the time injection of potholes does not cause any problem to the pet such as a cat or dog unless they eat it in large amounts.
• The dog may become nauseous and will start to experience vomiting and dehydration in case they stop to eat or drink anything.
• In case you are unaware of all of the symptoms you need to take the bed to the wet as soon as possible because they can lead to organ failure or death.

Pothos Is Not Fatal to Pets:

In most cases, the pothos plant is not fatal to pets. The plant has actually been used as an herbal remedy by humans for centuries. But in case you find the dog has ingested the pothole you need to contact your veterinarian immediately. 

In most of cases, the plant may cause stomach upset and irritate the sensitive skin but it is not considered toxic to humans or animals until and unless they consume it in a large quantity. 

The presence of calcium oxalate crystals irritates their mouth and throat if they ingest it. Most of the time these crystals are present on the leaf rather than in them due to which there is less risk of harm than other toxic plants having more concentrated concentrations of toxins for example azaleas or philodendrons.

Part of the pothos plant is toxic to dogs:

The calcium oxalate crystals are present in every part of the plant which are toxic to the dogs. These are distal that are insoluble means they cannot be broken down and remain in the same shape jagged crystals that are similar to feeling like glass shards when they are moving through the body of pets such as dogs or cats

Symptoms of Pothos Poisoning:

There are various symptoms the dog can experience if they ingested any part of the pothos plant. The symptoms can vary from low severity to highly severe. The following are some most common symptoms the dog can have after ingestion of pothos plants.

Mild Severity: 

• Excessive salivation: it is considered the earliest sign of toxicity in dogs due to which they will have excessive drooling because of mouth and throat irritation.
• Pawing at the mouth: the dog will start pawing at their mouth after biting the leave because the calcium oxalate crystal released from the part of the leaf in their mouth will start costing them oral radiation in the tongue and lips
• Vomiting and diarrhea: it can cause the dog to vomit and have diarrhea by doing this the body is trying to get rid of the calcium oxalate crystals. In case the diarrhea remains for a long time it is not good for the dog’s health so you need to have medical attention as soon as possible.

High Severity:

• Swelling:  the toxicity from the plant will cause the dog’s mouth, throat, and tongue to swell which causes them pain and it becomes very difficult for the dog to eat or drink anything.
• Difficulty breathing and difficulty swallowing:  in case the swelling of their calcium oxalate crystal starts spreading through the airway of the dog it will become very difficult for them to breathe and difficulty swallowing due to the swelling. Here you need to take them to the veterinary care immediately.
• Loss of appetite: the dog may also cause losing their appetite which will lead to dehydration and many health problems if you do not trade them at the right time.
• Lethargy: you will notice the dog is becoming weak if they have ingested pothos plants.

In case you notice any of the symptoms in your dog either it is mild or high you need to take them to the veterinarian immediately. It can be serious and life-threatening if you don’t treat the dog at the right time. You need to act quickly as soon as you see any of the symptoms of ingesting any part of the pothos plant.

In case the vegetarian wants to see the dog you need to bring the following details along with you:

• ‌When and how:‌ You need to tell them how long the dog has ingested the pothos plant and what is the amount of the plant the dog has ingested.
• Breed:‌ You need to have detailed information about the dog breed or it is a mixed breed.
• ‌Age:‌ the dog’s age.
• ‌Weight:‌ Need to know the dog’s normal weight.
• Symptoms:‌ What are the symptoms that you have observed in the dog after ingestion of pothos plants?
• The plant itself:‌ You can also take the plant with you if it is possible. ‌
• Samples of any vomit or stool:‌  Providing the sample of vomiting or stool will help the veterinarian examine the dog.

Conclusion:

It is totally the responsibility of the pet owner to create a safe environment for pets such as dogs and cats. You need to have a proofing home in which there are no hazardous houseplants for the dog. You need to take all the precautions to keep your pet safe and healthy.

I will suggest you monitor the dog’s health after a pothos poisoning incident. Start taking note of any changes in their appetite, energy level, and behavior, and keep in contact with your veterinarian for any concerns. If you take care of your dog and monitor all of the behavior the dog will recover very soon and will be happy and enjoy life.