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Here is the reassuring nuance: daylilies cause deadly kidney failure in cats, but in dogs they cause only mild stomach upset. If you have a dog, a chewed daylily is a GI problem, not the kidney emergency it would be for a cat. The panic you may have read about is a cat story.
Check Daylily for your dog
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Why Daylily needs caution
Daylilies (and true lilies) contain a compound that causes fatal kidney failure in cats. Dogs are not affected that way: the ASPCA notes dogs develop only gastrointestinal upset after eating these plants, with no kidney injury.
Signs to watch for
Mild vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, brief loss of appetite
What to do next
For a dog, take the plant away and watch for stomach upset. If a cat may have eaten any lily or daylily, treat it as an emergency and call now.
The scary lily-and-kidney stories are about cats. Dogs are a different, milder case.
1. Why the species matters
True lilies and daylilies cause acute kidney failure in cats, sometimes from just a few petals or the vase water, but dogs get only stomach upset. If you have both, the danger is to the cat. See our lily page →
FAQ
How much Daylily is dangerous?
For a dog, a nibble of daylily typically causes mild, self-limiting vomiting or diarrhea. There is no dog-specific kidney dose to worry about, though a large amount of any plant can upset a stomach more.
Can I treat this at home?
For a dog, a small nibble can usually be watched at home with water available. (For a cat, any exposure is an emergency.)
When should I call the vet?
Repeated vomiting or diarrhea, a large amount eaten, or any doubt about whether it was a dog or a cat that ate it.
•ASPCA APCC, toxic and non-toxic plants: day lilies (kidney failure in cats; gastrointestinal upset in dogs)
Compiled from veterinary poison-control and medical reference sources, including the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, the Pet Poison Helpline, and the Merck Veterinary Manual. This is general educational information, not a diagnosis or a substitute for examination by your veterinarian. DogSafe's severity ratings are our own assessment, calculated from published guidance and your dog's weight. In an emergency, call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at 888-426-4435 or the Pet Poison Helpline at 855-764-7661.