Oleander
ToxicOleander is one of the most dangerous landscape plants for dogs. The ASPCA lists cardiac glycosides as the toxic principle and includes death among the clinical signs. Call a veterinarian immediately.
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
- Abdominal pain
- Loss of appetite
- Reduced activity and responsiveness
- Slow heartbeat
- Irregular heartbeat
- Weakness
- Pale gums or mucous membranes
- Collapse
- Seizures
More about this food
Oleander's danger comes from cardiac glycosides. The ASPCA names them as the toxic principle and lists the clinical signs as "drooling, abdominal pain, diarrhea, colic, depression, death." Pet Poison Helpline adds that oleander carries oleandrin, a cardiac glycoside, "throughout the plant," and describes vomiting and loss of appetite, irregular heart rate and rhythm, weakness and collapse.
Mechanically, cardiac glycosides block the sodium-potassium pump in heart muscle cells and drive intracellular calcium up. The heart contracts harder and less regularly until the rhythm breaks down. What you see first, though, is gastrointestinal: drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, a hunched and painful abdomen. That is the trap, because it reads like a plain stomach upset. The slow, dropped or racing pulse, pale gums, weakness and collapse come afterward, and by then the clock is short.
Oleander is a workhorse landscape shrub across California, Texas, Florida and the rest of the Sun Belt, planted along highways, driveways and pool fences. Every part of the plant matters: leaves, flowers, stems, seeds and dropped dry leaves all retain toxicity. Smoke from burning oleander and water from a vase holding cut stems are also reported hazards. A pile of clippings that has been sitting in the yard for a week has not become safe.
There is one correct next step. Call your veterinarian, the nearest emergency clinic, or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 right now and say the word oleander. Naming the plant, rather than describing "some bush leaves," is what gets your dog onto an ECG and a potassium check immediately. Bring a photo or a bagged cutting, and note the time and amount. Do not induce vomiting at home; in a dog whose cardiac rhythm may already be unstable, vomiting is itself a risk. Decontamination, activated charcoal, IV fluids, and any antiarrhythmic therapy are veterinary decisions.
Frequently asked questions
- It was only a leaf or two. Do I really need to call?
- Yes, call now. Oleander's cardiac glycosides can affect heart rhythm at small doses, and the ASPCA's own clinical sign list ends with death. Say the plant's name when you call, even if the amount sounds trivial to you.
- What about dry fallen leaves or old clippings?
- Not safer. Cardiac glycosides persist in dried plant material, so fallen leaves and week-old prunings carry the same risk. Bag oleander yard waste and keep it away from the dog rather than piling it up.
- She is only vomiting and having diarrhea. Could it just be a stomach bug?
- Oleander toxicosis typically starts with GI signs and turns cardiac later. Being seen while it still looks like a stomach bug is the best case, not a reason to wait, so tell the clinic she may have reached an oleander.