Is Azalea / rhododendron toxic to dogs & cats?
Also known as: rhododendron
🚑 What to do right after ingestion
Any ingestion warrants the vet: decontamination plus cardiac monitoring.
Toxicity notes
Contains grayanotoxins — even a few leaves cause severe GI and cardiac signs.
Poisoning symptoms
- • Drooling
- • Vomiting and diarrhea
- • Wobbliness
- • Abnormal heart rhythm
- • Coma in severe cases
Symptoms can be delayed (e.g. onion/garlic-induced hemolysis may take days) — a pet looking fine right now is no reason to relax.
FAQ
How much causes poisoning?
Contains grayanotoxins — even a few leaves cause severe GI and cardiac signs.
Can I make my pet vomit at home?
Home-induced vomiting is not advised: corrosive cleaners, sharp bones or existing neurological signs make it dangerous, and improper technique risks aspiration pneumonia. Vomiting should be induced by a vet with proper drugs at the right moment — most effective within 1-2 hours. So “head to the clinic as soon as you know” beats “try to induce vomiting first”.
Even without symptoms, use the symptom checker to review what to watch for
Start symptom check →