Safety verdict
Consulted references classify the plant as toxic or irritating for that pet type.
Pet ingestion lookup
My dog ate Black Nightshade - what should I do?
Solanum nigrum
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
Gastrointestinal upset including vomiting and diarrhea, hypersalivation, weakness, and potential neurological signs like incoordination.
Escalation note
The plant contains toxic alkaloids that affect the nervous and digestive systems. Seek veterinary care promptly if your dog has consumed this plant.
First aid at home
Take the plant away and clear any berries or leaves out of your dog's mouth, then call Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661 or your veterinarian for first-aid advice. Do not induce vomiting at home unless poison control or your vet specifically tells you to.
What to watch for
GI signs come first: hypersalivation, vomiting, diarrhea, and inappetence. Larger doses can add agitation or aggression, drowsiness or CNS depression, tremors, dilated pupils, weakness, slow heart rate, and respiratory or cardiovascular depression per Pet Poison Helpline. Severity scales with how much was eaten.
Time window
Onset and duration are not well documented in the cited sources for dogs specifically. Treat exposure as time-sensitive and call rather than waiting to see if signs appear.
When to call the vet
Call any time you suspect a dog ate the green berries or a meaningful amount of foliage. Call immediately if you see tremors, agitation, weakness, dilated pupils, or any change in breathing or heart rate. Reach Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661 or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
What this means for your dog
Dogs are far more likely than cats to actually eat plant material, and that's the problem with black nightshade — the unripe green berries and foliage carry solanine and atropine-like alkaloids that can produce both GI and neurological signs. Larger ingestions are the dangerous ones, and dogs that get into a patch of berries should be treated as exposed.
Sources: ASPCA, Pet Poison Helpline.
Poison-control resources
This page summarizes source-bound plant-safety information and is not veterinary advice.