Are yucca plants poisonous to dogs?

Updated: 11/07/2023

Yucca: native to the Americas and Caribbean and now holding a firm seat in many a fashion-forward living room filled with evergreens, it’s no surprise that many of us own one. But are yucca plants poisonous to dogs, or are they as safe as they look? 

Sadly, yucca plants are very toxic (poisonous) to dogs, so they’re not recommended in a doggy household. Containing steroidal saponins, clinical signs of drooling, sickness, weakness, and lots of other nasty symptoms can occur, so it’s best to avoid if you pet parent a canine buddy.

Can dogs eat yucca plants?

Is yucca toxic to dogs if grown at home or can dogs have yucca in small amounts? It’s still a hard no on this one, unfortunately. Under no circumstances should your pooch be nibbling on yours (or anybody else’s!) yucca plant. Containing toxic compounds to dogs, it’s highly likely they’ll end up with sickness and diarrhea or more serious symptoms, which we’ll explore below. If you think your pet may have eaten some yucca plant, contact your veterinarian immediately for advice, even if your pet is behaving normally.

Yucca plant poisoning in dogs

Symptoms

If your pooch has nibbled on any of your house plants, it’s important to get them checked over by your veterinarian. Yucca is toxic to dogs, so, even if they’re not displaying any of the symptoms below, it’s vital that you make an appointment with your vet as a matter of emergency. The sooner your pet receives veterinary attention, the better their chance of making a recovery is.

• Drooling
• Sickness
• Weakness
• Lack of coordination
• Bloating
• Abdominal pain
• High blood pressure
• Loss of consciousness
• Panting, open-mouth breathing, or other breathing difficulties

It is important to remember that not only are yucca plants toxic to pets, but they can also cause other problems. All parts of the plant are made of tough, fibrous plant material. Along with being poisonous, chewing on these plants can lead to injuries to your pet’s mouth. Yucca plants can also cause stomach upset, and even intestinal blockage if they get lodged in your pet’s digestive system. For this reason, it is important to phone your veterinary clinic if you have any suspicion of your pet eating yucca plant.

Diagnosis

To help your veterinarian come to an accurate diagnosis, bring a sample of the yucca plant your pooch was nibbling on with you. It’s also recommended to bring the information label/tag from when you bought the plant, if possible. This will help your veterinarian make sure it’s yucca toxicity your pup is suffering from. The diagnosis might also be informed by a variety of other tests including heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, temperature, weight, oxygen levels, and weight. They may also complete lab tests to determine the issue, including blood count, urinalysis and blood glucose check. If your vet feels it necessary, they may also perform an endoscopy to remove any further plant material from your pooch.

Treatments

The treatment of your pooch will depend on various factors, including the amount of time passed since ingestion of the yucca plant. If it was relatively recent, they may induce vomiting, administer activated charcoal and provide intravenous fluids (a drip) to avoid dehydration. It is important to never attempt to induce vomiting at home as it carries a very high risk of causing choking. The drip can also help to flush toxins out of your pet’s system. Your veterinarian may recommend that your pet is hospitalized for a period of time and has repeated blood tests in order to assess their response to treatment.

Meet our veterinary expert, Evie

This article has been checked by veterinarian Evie Moloney RCVS. Evie is a vet surgeon who graduated from the University College Dublin, which is the only university offering the veterinary medicine degree in Ireland. She really enjoys surgery and has also worked as an emergency and critical care vet. She is passionate about sharing education about preventative health care 
for pets, especially the importance of regular dog and cat teeth brushing at home. She also enjoys helping owners find practical solutions for keeping pets as comfortable as possible while living with conditions such as arthritis. When not working, she enjoys hiking and swimming. 

Other plants that are poisonous for dogs

Lots of the plants we humans love are in fact unsafe or even poisonous to our canine friends, so it’s vital to get in the know about which plants are safe and which aren’t. To get you started, below are a few plants to avoid if you’ve got a canine companion at home.

• Geraniums
• Aloe vera
• Lilies
• Tulips