Daffodil
ToxicDaffodils are toxic to dogs and the bulb is the worst part. The ASPCA names lycorine and other alkaloids, and notes that large ingestions cause convulsions, low blood pressure, tremors and cardiac arrhythmias.
This food guide has not been reviewed by a veterinarian. It summarises general information from sources and should not be used to decide whether a food is suitable for an individual dog or to assess an emergency.
Check before feeding
Do not offer as a treat
There is no recommended treat portion for this hazardous item. If swallowed, contact a vet with the amount, time and product details. Do not induce vomiting yourself.
Signs and health concerns
This list includes both observable signs and conditions identified through examination or testing. It cannot establish the cause or whether an exposure is safe.
- Excessive salivation
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Mouth irritation
- Abdominal pain
- Dehydration
- Tremors
- Low blood pressure
- Irregular heartbeat
- Seizures
- Weakness
- Pale gums or mucous membranes
More about this food
The ASPCA lists daffodil as toxic to dogs, names the toxic principle as "lycorine and other alkaloids," and states that "bulbs are the most poisonous part." The clinical signs read "vomiting, salvation, diarrhea; large ingestions cause convulsions, low blood pressure, tremors and cardiac arrhythmias." Dose changes the whole shape of this poisoning.
Lycorine is a potent emetic, so most exposures announce themselves quickly with drooling and hard vomiting. Bulbs add calcium oxalate crystals, which sting and swell the mouth on top of that. A mouthful of leaves usually stays a GI event. A dog that excavated several bulbs is in a different situation: repeated vomiting drives dehydration and electrolyte derangement, and hypotension, tremors, arrhythmias and convulsions can follow. Pale gums, weakness and collapse are late signs, not early warnings.
The US calendar makes this predictable. Bags of bulbs sit in the garage from October planting through the winter, and naturalized daffodils come up in yards and along walking trails in February and March. Cut daffodils are also a supermarket staple in early spring, and the sap leaches into vase water, so a dog that drinks from the vase gets a dose without touching the flowers. Bulbs look enough like small onions to end up in a kitchen basket.
Figure out what and how much, then call your veterinarian, an emergency clinic, or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. Leaves versus bulbs, how many bulbs, and the time are the facts that drive treatment, so bring the remaining bulbs, stems or packaging. Treat unrelenting vomiting, tremors, wobbliness, pale gums or lethargy as an emergency. Do not induce vomiting at home; in a dog already vomiting hard from lycorine, more vomiting only adds dehydration and aspiration risk. Decontamination, activated charcoal, IV fluids with electrolyte correction and ECG monitoring are veterinary decisions.
Frequently asked questions
- She grazed on a few daffodil leaves in the yard.
- Leaves are the lower-risk part, since the ASPCA notes bulbs are the most poisonous. Expect possible vomiting, drooling and diarrhea, keep water available, and call your veterinarian if the vomiting repeats or she goes flat.
- He got into the bag of bulbs in the garage.
- Call now. Bulbs are the most poisonous part, and large ingestions can bring convulsions, low blood pressure and arrhythmias. Count what is missing and bring the bag and remaining bulbs to the clinic.
- Is the vase water a problem?
- Yes, cut daffodil stems leach sap into vase water, so a dog can be exposed without chewing a flower. Change the water, keep arrangements out of reach, and mention it if your dog vomits or drools afterwards.