Is Hellebore (Lenten rose) toxic to dogs & cats?
Also known as: Lenten rose / veratrum
🚑 What to do right after ingestion
Emergency decontamination with ECG monitoring. Clean fallen blooms from winter gardens.
Toxicity notes
The whole plant holds veratrum-type alkaloids — severe GI reactions, slowed heart rate and breathing depression; some species are deadly. Blooms in winter-spring gardens.
Poisoning symptoms
- • Violent vomiting
- • Drooling
- • Abdominal pain
- • Slow abnormal heart rate
- • Breathing depression
Symptoms can be delayed (e.g. onion/garlic-induced hemolysis may take days) — a pet looking fine right now is no reason to relax.
FAQ
How much causes poisoning?
The whole plant holds veratrum-type alkaloids — severe GI reactions, slowed heart rate and breathing depression; some species are deadly. Blooms in winter-spring gardens.
Can I make my pet vomit at home?
Home-induced vomiting is not advised: corrosive cleaners, sharp bones or existing neurological signs make it dangerous, and improper technique risks aspiration pneumonia. Vomiting should be induced by a vet with proper drugs at the right moment — most effective within 1-2 hours. So “head to the clinic as soon as you know” beats “try to induce vomiting first”.
Even without symptoms, use the symptom checker to review what to watch for
Start symptom check →