Do Passion Plant Leaves Hurt Dogs?

Passion plant, also called purple passion vine, (Gynura aurantica) produces green leaves with a velvety purple coating. In the fall, the plants boast large, orange and yellow blossoms that make them attractive to people and perhaps even appetizing to pets. They grow outdoors year-round in U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 10 to 12 and elsewhere in the country as an annual or houseplant, giving dogs all over the country access to their leaves, stems and blooms. The good news is that passion plant isn't likely to make your dog sick.

  1. Toxicity

    • The Association for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals maintains a database of plants and their toxicity to specifics types of animals. The association lists purple passion vine as nontoxic to both dogs and cats. This means if your dog comes in contact with the plant or ingests pieces of it, he is not likely to suffer any negative consequences. It also means the plant is not known to be fatal when ingested.

    Allergies

    • Just because a plant isn't known to be toxic to dogs doesn't mean it can't have a negative impact on a pet's health. Like humans, dogs can suffer allergies which can be triggered by any plant. Allergies can also be triggered by chemicals in fertilizers or pesticides commonly applied to nontoxic plants. It's also possible the plant could have residues from cleaners, car fluids and other common outdoor chemicals.

    Avoid Contact

    • It's not possible to watch your dog every moment of every day, but you can increase his safety by limiting access to passion plant and other plants that could be dangerous or even deadly. First, check with the ASPCA toxic plant database to make sure you don't have any toxic plants in your home or yard. On walks, keep your dog on a leash and watch him closely to make sure he doesn't eat any plants. Even eating grass in an unfamiliar location can be dangerous because of lawn treatment chemicals.

    Symptoms

    • Any time you're concerned about your pet's health is a good time to visit the vet, notes Dr. Susan Nelson of Kansas State University. It's especially important to consult a vet if your dog has symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting and appetite loss. More common signs of allergies include discharge from the eyes and nose or areas of skin that look red or that your pet regularly scratches and bites. If you're not sure if you need to take your dog in for treatment following exposure or ingestion of passion plant, call the vet and ask for advice.