Safety verdict
Consulted references classify the plant as toxic or irritating for that pet type.
Pet ingestion lookup
My dog ate Pothos - what should I do?
Epipremnum aureum
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
Oral irritation, intense burning and irritation of mouth, tongue and lips, excessive drooling, vomiting, and difficulty swallowing.
Escalation note
Ingestion typically results in immediate discomfort due to calcium oxalate crystals. Please consult your veterinarian if you suspect your dog has consumed any part of this plant.
First aid at home
Take any chewed plant material away from your dog and wipe out the mouth with a damp cloth to remove leftover crystals. Pet Poison Helpline notes that offering a small amount of milk, yogurt, or another calcium-containing dairy product can help bind the oxalate raphides and ease the burning. Do not induce vomiting unless your vet or poison control specifically tells you to.
What to watch for
Most common: immediate pawing at the mouth, intense drooling and hypersalivation, vomiting, and visible swelling or redness of the lips and tongue. Less common but possible: refusal to eat or drink, lethargy, and (rarely) swelling of the upper airway that makes breathing noisy or difficult.
Time window
Pain and drooling typically begin within minutes of the bite. Most cases resolve within 12–24 hours with supportive care. Rare upper-airway swelling can develop quickly and warrants immediate care.
When to call the vet
Call your vet — or ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 — any time you see persistent drooling, repeated vomiting, visible swelling of the mouth or tongue, or refusal to eat or drink after a chew. Any difficulty breathing, noisy breathing, or collapse is an emergency: go directly to a 24-hour vet.
What this means for your dog
Pothos is toxic to dogs. Chewing the leaves or stems releases insoluble calcium oxalate crystals that immediately stab the soft tissue of your dog's mouth, tongue, and throat — which is why the first sign you'll usually see is sudden pawing at the mouth, drooling, and head-shaking. Most dogs recover well with supportive care, but the burning is real and the airway swelling, while rare, is the part to watch for.
Sources: ASPCA, Pet Poison Helpline.
Source references
Poison-control resources
This page summarizes source-bound plant-safety information and is not veterinary advice.