{"id":"dieffenbachia","common_names":["Dieffenbachia","Dumbcane","Dumb Cane","Giant Dumb Cane","Spotted Dumb Cane","Tropic Snow","Exotica","Charming Dieffenbachia","Gold Dieffenbachia","Variable Dieffenbachia","Exotica Perfection","Spotted Dumbcane","Tropic Snow Dumbcane"],"scientific_name":"Dieffenbachia spp.","urls":{"plant":"https://verdapaw.com/plants/dieffenbachia","cats":"https://verdapaw.com/plants/dieffenbachia/cats","dogs":null,"data":"https://verdapaw.com/plants/dieffenbachia/data.json"},"toxicity":{"cat":{"severity":3,"grade":"S3 Toxic","verdict_sentence":"Dieffenbachia (Dieffenbachia spp.) is toxic to cats (S3 Toxic): insoluble calcium oxalates cause mouth and throat irritation, and Pet Poison Helpline says death has rarely been reported with ingestion of Dieffenbachia plants.","toxic_principles":["insoluble calcium oxalates","proteolytic enzyme"],"toxic_parts":[],"symptoms":[{"sign":"oral irritation, intense burning and irritation of mouth, tongue and lips","onset":"not specified in source"},{"sign":"excessive drooling","onset":"not specified in source"},{"sign":"vomiting","onset":"not specified in source"},{"sign":"difficulty swallowing","onset":"not specified in source"},{"sign":"gagging","onset":"not specified in source"},{"sign":"oral pain","onset":"not specified in source"},{"sign":"pawing at the mouth","onset":"not specified in source"},{"sign":"decreased appetite","onset":"not specified in source"},{"sign":"severe throat swelling resulting in breathing difficulty (in rare instances; PPH Dieffenbachia)","onset":"not specified in source"},{"sign":"severe oral and throat irritation with severe swelling of the face, difficulty swallowing, and difficulty breathing (rarely; PPH Gold Dieffenbachia)","onset":"not specified in source"},{"sign":"swelling of the upper airway making it difficult to breathe (VERY rarely; PPH Spotted Dumbcane)","onset":"not specified in source"},{"sign":"death reported with ingestion of Dieffenbachia plants (rarely; PPH Gold Dieffenbachia)","onset":"not specified in source"}],"sources":[{"url":"https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/aspca-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants/dieffenbachia","name":"ASPCA","accessed_at":"2026-10-08"},{"url":"https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/aspca-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants/charming-dieffenbachia","name":"ASPCA","accessed_at":"2026-10-08"},{"url":"https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/aspca-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants/gold-dieffenbachia","name":"ASPCA","accessed_at":"2026-10-08"},{"url":"https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/dieffenbachia/","name":"PPH","accessed_at":"2026-10-08"},{"url":"https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/charming-dieffenbachia/","name":"PPH","accessed_at":"2026-10-08"},{"url":"https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/gold-dieffenbachia/","name":"PPH","accessed_at":"2026-10-08"},{"url":"https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/spotted-dumb-cane/","name":"PPH","accessed_at":"2026-10-08"},{"url":"https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/tropic-snow-dumbcane/","name":"PPH","accessed_at":"2026-10-08"}],"reviewed_by":"Zhe Li","reviewed_at":"2026-10-08"},"dog":null},"license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/","terms":"Free to reuse with attribution to Verdapaw and a link to the plant page."},"cite_as":"Verdapaw Plant × Pet Safety Index, verdapaw.com/plants/dieffenbachia, reviewed 2026-10-08"}