Yellow Oleander

Yes, yellow oleander (Thevetia peruviana) is highly toxic to cats. All parts of the plant — leaves, flowers, seeds, and stems — contain potent cardiac glycosides, and ingestion of even a small amount can cause severe cardiac distress.

Early signs include drooling, vomiting, and diarrhea. These are followed by cardiac signs: a slow, fast, or irregular heartbeat, weakness, cold extremities, dilated pupils, and tremors. In severe cases, profound weakness from high potassium (hyperkalemia) and collapse can occur. Cardiac signs can appear within minutes to a few hours of ingestion and may persist for 24 hours or more.

This is a same-hour emergency — do not wait for symptoms. Remove any plant material from your cat's mouth, do not induce vomiting, and do not give activated charcoal at home. Call ASPCA Animal Poison Control (888-426-4435) or Pet Poison Helpline (855-764-7661) immediately and transport your cat to a vet or emergency clinic while you're on the phone with them. Bring a sample or clear photo of the plant for identification.

Every part of the plant is dangerous — the leaves, flowers, seeds, and stems all contain cardiac glycosides. There is no safe part to expose your cat to, and no minimum 'safe' dose has been established; even small ingestions can lead to fatal cardiac toxicity without aggressive veterinary intervention.

Yes, yellow oleander (Thevetia peruviana) is highly toxic to dogs. All parts of the plant contain potent cardiac glycosides, and any ingestion is considered a life-threatening emergency requiring immediate veterinary care.

Early symptoms include vomiting, drooling, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and lethargy, typically appearing within 1–2 hours of ingestion. Cardiac signs follow — slow or irregular heartbeat, weakness, wobbliness, and cold limbs — and can progress to collapse or sudden death from heart-rhythm failure within hours.

Call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888-426-4435) or Pet Poison Helpline (855-764-7661) immediately and transport your dog to an emergency vet at once. Do not induce vomiting at home and do not give activated charcoal without veterinary instruction. Bring a piece of the plant or a clear photo to confirm identification at the clinic.

Gastrointestinal signs typically appear within 1–2 hours; cardiac arrhythmias can follow within hours and may persist for 24 or more hours, requiring inpatient ECG monitoring. Do not wait for heart symptoms to appear before seeking help — once arrhythmias begin, the window for effective intervention narrows quickly, and sudden death has been reported within hours of ingestion in serious cases.