Is sago palm poisonous to dogs?

Updated 18/12/2023

Despite sprucing up homes and gardens around the world in their attractive, fanned-out shapes and vibrant shades of green, sago palm is poisonous to dogs. In fact, all parts of the plant are toxic to our canine friends, with the seeds being especially easy for our pets to get hold of. The number of toxic compounds found in the plant can cause serious symptoms for dogs, including gastrointestinal upset, effects on the nervous system, and liver damage. Other names for this poisonous plant include Coontie Palm, Cardboard Palm, cycads, and zamias.

Can dogs eat sago palm?

Under no circumstances should your pooch be eating any part of the plant - sago palm and dogs simply don’t mix. Ingesting any part of the plant can cause serious symptoms in our furry friends, and if left untreated, can lead to death in the very worst cases. So, if you think your pooch may have let their curiosity take over and has in fact nibbled on part of your sago palm, make an appointment with your veterinarian immediately as a matter of emergency, or call a pet poison helpline for professional advice.

Sago Palm poisoning

Symptoms

So, now we know that sago palm is toxic to dogs, let’s take a look at the symptoms pups might experience if they’ve ingested any part of the plant. At the early stages, symptoms are not particularly severe and often can be treated if caught quickly. The early signs of sago palm poisoning in dogs include:

• Drooling
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Depression

It is really important to keep in mind that your pet may not show all or any of these symptoms after eating sago palm. If the intoxication is not treated promptly  by pet parents or those caring for their canine friends, more serious symptoms might develop, including:

• Liver failure (dark urine, decreased blood clotting ability causing nose bleeds, blood in urine or stool)
• Weakness
• Wobbly gait
• Tremors 
• Seizures
• Yellow gums/sclera (icterus)

If these more extreme symptoms also go unrecognized and untreated, dogs may go into shock or experience extreme blood loss, causing death.

Diagnosis

If you think your pooch may have ingested part of a sago palm, it’s vital that you act fast. Make an appointment with a veterinarian as a matter of emergency or contact a pet poison helpline for immediate professional advice. If toxicity is suspected by a vet, they may perform blood work to diagnose any liver damage.

Treatment

The treatment recommended by your veterinarian will depend on how serious the sago palm toxicity in your dog is and how long ago the plant was ingested. If ingestion was recent, your veterinarian may induce vomiting along with the use of activated charcoal to reduce the absorption of the sago palm’s toxic compounds in your dog’s intestinal tract. Both of these treatments should be administered by a vet as they can have dangerous effects themselves if not carried out properly.

Your pooch may also be hospitalized for monitoring, along with the administration of fluids and medications to reduce the chances of damage to the liver. If liver damage has already occurred and bleeding has started as a result, other blood treatments may be administered by your vet.

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

Despite being common, there are many plants us humans scatter about our homes without realizing they’re seriously toxic to our canine friends. The solution? Get clued-up on plants poisonous to dogs, and get started with learning about those below.

• Geraniums
• Aloe vera
• Lilies
• Tulips