Is Foxglove Toxic to Cats and Dogs?
Foxglove is severely toxic to both cats and dogs — it contains digitalis, the same cardiac glycoside used in heart medicine. Any ingestion is an immediate emergency.
Potentially life-threatening — treat any exposure as an emergency.
Potentially life-threatening — treat any exposure as an emergency.
In an emergency, do not wait.
Medical disclaimer: This tool is for general information only and isnot a substitute for veterinary diagnosis or treatment. Toxicity depends on the amount, your pet’s size, and health history. If your pet may have ingested something harmful, contact your veterinarian or a poison control hotline ((888) 426-4435 / (855) 764-7661) immediately — do not wait for symptoms to appear.
What is Foxglove?
Foxglove is severely toxic to both cats and dogs — it contains digitalis, the same cardiac glycoside used in heart medicine. Any ingestion is an immediate emergency.
Also known as: digitalis, digitalis purpurea, digitalis lanata, fox glove, fairy bells.
Symptoms to Watch For
🐕 In Dogs
- Vomiting, drooling, and diarrhea within hours
- Slow, fast, or irregular heartbeat and low blood pressure
- Weakness, wobbliness, and collapse
- Seizures and death in serious cases (cardiac glycoside poisoning)
🐈 In Cats
- Vomiting, drooling, and loss of appetite
- Slow or irregular heartbeat and low blood pressure
- Weakness, lethargy, and collapse
- Seizures and death in serious cases
What to Do If Ingested
- Call a veterinarian or poison hotline immediately — do not wait for symptoms.
- Note which parts were eaten (leaves and seeds are most concentrated) and how much.
- Remove any remaining plant material from the mouth.
- Do not induce vomiting unless a veterinarian instructs you to.
Steps apply to both cats and dogs. When in doubt, call a vet or poison hotline before acting. Have a cat? Run the Pet Poison Triage Wizard for cat-specific steps.
When to Call the Vet Immediately
Call your veterinarian or a poison control hotline right away if you notice any of these:
- Any part of a foxglove was eaten — even a small amount
- Vomiting, drooling, or weakness
- Abnormal heartbeat, collapse, or seizures
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is a heart medicine also a poison?
Foxglove contains digoxin and related cardiac glycosides — in carefully controlled doses they treat human heart conditions, but a pet chewing the plant gets an uncontrolled dose. The toxin slows and disrupts the heart rhythm and can cause fatal arrhythmias. All parts of the plant are toxic, with seeds and leaves most concentrated.
How is foxglove poisoning treated?
Treatment includes decontamination, continuous ECG monitoring of the heart rhythm, intravenous fluids, and in serious cases digoxin-specific antibody fragments (Digibind/DigiFab), which can bind the toxin. Treatment works best before symptoms appear — call the vet immediately, do not watch and wait.
How do I tell foxglove apart from safe garden plants?
Foxglove has tall spikes of drooping bell-shaped flowers (purple, pink, or white) with speckled throats, and soft, fuzzy, lance-shaped leaves. It resembles the safe snapdragon only loosely, but it is often confused with comfrey and borage, which have similar fuzzy leaves. If you are unsure what your pet ate, take a photo or sample of the plant to the vet.
Sources
This entry is reviewed against the following authoritative veterinary sources.
- ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants Database
- Merck Veterinary Manual — Toxicology
- Pet Poison Helpline — Poisons
Last reviewed: 2026-10-16