Safety verdict
Consulted references classify the plant as toxic or irritating for that pet type.
Pet ingestion lookup
My dog ate Epazote - what should I do?
Chenopodium ambrosioides
Potentially toxic
Contact your veterinarian or an animal poison-control resource now, especially if any amount was chewed or swallowed.
Verified against ASPCA/provenance audit 2026-05-06 on May 6, 2026.
Signs to watch for
Drooling, vomiting, abdominal pain, and potential central nervous system depression.
Escalation note
The essential oils within the plant can cause irritation and systemic effects. Seek veterinary care if your dog shows signs of illness after exposure.
What to watch for
Most dogs that nibble the herb develop vomiting and diarrhoea. With concentrated-oil exposure, expect drooling, repeated vomiting, abdominal discomfort, and lethargy. The ASPCA names ascaridole, limonene, and p-cymene as the toxic essential-oil components.
Time window
Onset and recovery times for epazote in dogs are not well documented in the cited sources.
When to call the vet
Call ASPCA Poison Control or your vet if your dog has consumed epazote essential oil, if vomiting or diarrhoea persists beyond a few hours, or if you see drooling, weakness, or wobbliness.
What this means for your dog
Dogs: epazote is on the ASPCA toxic-plant list for dogs. A few chewed leaves usually means GI upset, but ingestion of concentrated epazote oil — the form used in some herbal preparations — can be considerably more serious because of its ascaridole content.
Sources: ASPCA.
Poison-control resources
This page summarizes source-bound plant-safety information and is not veterinary advice.