Are Petunias Poisonous to Dogs?

If you own a dog, not many situations can be more nerve-racking than the thought of your poor pooch unwittingly eating something bad for it. After all, many seemingly harmless and beautiful garden plants are actually severe hazards to pets. Fortunately, you can cross petunias (Petunia) off that list of perils.

  1. Petunia Basics

    • Petunias are perennial plants in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) plant hardiness zones 10 through 11, and they grow as annuals elsewhere. The plants are common inside and outside of peoples' homes, often extremely close to dogs and cats. Petunias also are used as border plants, in containers and in landscape edging. In the coldest months of the year, they're fixtures in rooms that receive ample sunlight. Petunias' diverse flowers appear in many colors, with the exceptions of black and brown.

    Non-Toxic Nature

    • All of the species that are under the petunia umbrella are non-toxic to dogs. Not only are they non-poisonous to canines, they're also non-poisonous to felines. The plants don't contain any pernicious components.

    Stomach Woes

    • Even though petunias are not poisonous to dogs, it's still a good idea to keep the plants away from them. After all, plants in general, even if they're not toxic, often bring tummy woes upon dogs. If your dog munches on petunias, it could experience uncomfortable symptoms such as runny stools and vomiting. Spare your dog those discomforts and ensure petunias -- and all other plants -- stay far from its mouth.

      Even the abrupt introduction of normal new foods can be jarring to dogs' digestive systems, leading to gastrointestinal troubles. Closely monitor what goes into your dog's mouth, whether the canine is indoors or outdoors.

    Poisonous Plants

    • Don't let petunias' non-toxicity make you think that all pretty plants are non-toxic to dogs because, unfortunately, many of them are poisonous to canines. Examples of common plants that are severe hazards to dogs include daffodils (Narcissus spp.), which are hardy in USDA zones 4 through 8, king sago palms (Cycas revoluta), which are hardy in USDA zones 9 through 10, and common hyacinths (Hyacinthus orientalis), hardy in USDA zones 4 through 8. A good rule of thumb is to assume a plant is dangerous until you have veterinary confirmation that it's safe. Toxic plants are extremely serious matters. The bulbs of daffodils, for example, can be life-threatening to dogs.