Safety verdict
Consulted references classify the plant as toxic or irritating for that pet type.
Pet ingestion lookup
My dog ate Larkspur - what should I do?
Delphinium species
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
Muscle tremors, weakness, vomiting, diarrhea, and in severe cases, respiratory failure or collapse.
Escalation note
This plant is highly toxic to dogs. Seek immediate veterinary attention if ingestion occurs, as symptoms can progress rapidly.
First aid at home
Call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 or your veterinarian as soon as possible. Do not induce vomiting unless a veterinarian instructs you to.
What to watch for
Most-common to least: drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, and abdominal pain. More serious — and the reason urgent care matters — abnormal heart rhythms, tremors, seizures, paralysis, and respiratory difficulty.
Time window
Onset and duration are not well documented in companion animals. ASPCA and Pet Poison Helpline describe effects ranging from drooling and tremors to respiratory paralysis, suggesting symptoms can progress rapidly.
When to call the vet
Call immediately — your veterinarian or ASPCA Animal Poison Control (888-426-4435) — any time you suspect your dog has eaten larkspur, even before symptoms start. The risk of cardiac and respiratory effects makes early decontamination important.
What this means for your dog
Dogs should not chew larkspur. The plant's alkaloids cause neuromuscular paralysis — Pet Poison Helpline lists drooling, abnormal heart rhythms, abdominal pain, paralysis, tremors and seizures, with cardiac failure and death from respiratory paralysis as worst-case outcomes. This is a call-immediately plant, not a watch-and-wait one.
Sources: ASPCA, Pet Poison Helpline.
Poison-control resources
This page summarizes source-bound plant-safety information and is not veterinary advice.