Are Geraniums Toxic to Dogs? Vet-Verified Facts & FAQ

Geraniums are a common favorite of gardeners everywhere, so if you have a green thumb, you likely have some in or around your home. These flowers look gorgeous and repel mosquitoes, so it’s no wonder they’re so popular. Plus, there are dozens of colors and varieties to choose from!

However, if you have geraniums in your garden or home and a canine companion, you need to be careful. Geraniums are toxic to dogs. While these plants likely won’t be life-threatening, they can have some fairly unpleasant side effects if your pup consumes them. Here’s what you should know.

What Happens if My Dog Eats Geraniums?

It’s not uncommon to find dogs nibbling on anything they can get their paws on. Our canine pals investigate the world via their mouths, so picking up random things from sidewalks or tasting flowers is often the norm for them. However, this behavior can be dangerous as not everything they get their mouths on will be safe.

In the case of geraniums, these flowers aren’t deadly to canines, but they can cause some unpleasant side effects if eaten. If your pup manages to scarf down any part of a geranium, you may see:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Anorexia
• Lethargy
• Skin irritation

It won’t be a fun time for your pup, so you should avoid having these flowers and your pet interact!

Should I Contact My Vet if My Dog Eats Geraniums?

Whether you need to contact your vet depends on how poorly your dog reacts to the geraniums they consume. If your pet has a single bout of diarrhea or only throws up once, they should be fine. However, if your dog has thrown up more than once, seems extremely lethargic, is experiencing dermatitis, or doesn’t seem better after a few hours, getting in touch with your veterinarian is wise.

Your vet can let you know what further steps to take. They may recommend you keep watching your pet for another few hours to see how they feel or suggest you bring them in just to be safe.

That said, if you feel it necessary to call your vet, please do so. Better safe than sorry!

How Can I Keep My Dog From Eating Geraniums?

The number one way to keep your dog from consuming geraniums is, of course, not having geraniums in your home or garden. However, that may not be possible, so you will need to make your garden safe for your pup. How can you accomplish that?

For starters, you may want to install fencing of some kind to block off areas of your garden you don’t want your dog to explore. Let’s face it; you won’t always be out in the yard with your dog, so you need to ensure they aren’t able to reach any plant that could make them ill. If you don’t want to include fencing in your garden design, you could place netting or mesh wire around plants that are unsafe for your pet.

You can also put some raised beds in your yard for geraniums and other plants your dog doesn’t need to be around. Raised beds can help protect your pet from eating something they shouldn’t and your plants from an overly excited canine running around the yard.

Finally, you can try training your dog to only use a specific area of the yard to do their business or play in. This could take some time, but it can help to keep your pup safe from harm.

Final Thoughts

Geraniums are on the “not safe” list for canines. While these plants aren’t life-threatening to your dog, they will make your dog feel miserable if consumed. As such, if you have plants and dogs around, we suggest either avoiding geraniums or, if you do want geraniums, ensuring your pet can’t reach these flowers.

Featured Image Credit: two K, Shutterstock