Azalea
Also known as Rhododendron, Rosebay. One plant, one grade per pet — the verdicts below are transcribed from primary sources and human-reviewed.
Azaleas and rhododendrons are life-threatening to cats (S4 Emergency): the grayanotoxins in every part of the plant can cause vomiting, weakness, low blood pressure, coma, cardiovascular collapse, and death, and the ASPCA warns that eating only a few leaves can cause serious problems.
FULL VERDICT →Azaleas and rhododendrons are life-threatening to dogs (S4 Emergency): the grayanotoxins in every part of the plant can cause vomiting, weakness, low blood pressure, coma, cardiovascular collapse, and death, and the ASPCA warns that eating only a few leaves can cause serious problems.
FULL VERDICT →Care at a glance
What happens if it's eaten
Signs on record for each animal, transcribed from the cited sources.
- vomiting — typically within a few hours of ingestion (ASPCA)
- diarrhea — typically within a few hours of ingestion (ASPCA)
- hypersalivation (drooling) — typically within a few hours of ingestion (ASPCA)
- weakness — typically within a few hours of ingestion (ASPCA)
- loss of coordination, stupor, leg paralysis — typically within a few hours of ingestion (ASPCA)
- hypotension (low blood pressure); weak or irregular heart rate — typically within a few hours of ingestion (ASPCA)
- CNS depression; seizures — typically within a few hours of ingestion (ASPCA)
- coma — typically within a few hours of ingestion (ASPCA)
- cardiac failure / cardiovascular collapse; death is possible — typically within a few hours of ingestion (ASPCA)
- vomiting — typically within a few hours of ingestion (ASPCA)
- diarrhea — typically within a few hours of ingestion (ASPCA)
- hypersalivation (drooling) — typically within a few hours of ingestion (ASPCA)
- weakness — typically within a few hours of ingestion (ASPCA)
- loss of coordination, stupor, leg paralysis — typically within a few hours of ingestion (ASPCA)
- hypotension (low blood pressure); weak or irregular heart rate — typically within a few hours of ingestion (ASPCA)
- CNS depression; seizures — typically within a few hours of ingestion (ASPCA)
- coma — typically within a few hours of ingestion (ASPCA)
- cardiac failure / cardiovascular collapse; death is possible — typically within a few hours of ingestion (ASPCA)
When to call the vet
Immediately, on any ingestion — the ASPCA notes that a few leaves can cause serious problems and that effects typically begin within a few hours. There is no safe wait-and-see window.
FULL VERDICT →Immediately, on any ingestion — the ASPCA notes that a few leaves can cause serious problems and that effects typically begin within a few hours. There is no safe wait-and-see window.
FULL VERDICT →Safe swaps, graded S0
Non-toxic on record for cats — verified against the index at build time.