Prunus laurocerasus

Prunus laurocerasus is toxic to cats, dogs and horses. The reported severity is severe. Also known as Cherry Laurel.

dogs cats horses

Mild Moderate Severe Critical

If your animal ate this plant, call your veterinarian now, or one of these services.

What do I do right now?

Australia
Animal Poisons Helpline 1300 869 738 24 hours, every day · From $75
Austria
Vergiftungsinformationszentrale 01 406 43 43 24 hours, every day
Belgium
Centre Antipoisons 070 245 245 08:00 to 22:00 on weekdays, 10:00 to 22:00 at weekends · Human calls come first. The centre has no funding for animal work.
Canada
Pet Poison Helpline (855) 764-7661 24 hours, every day · $89 for each incident
France
Centre National d'Informations Toxicologiques Vétérinaires 04 78 87 10 40 08:30 to midnight, every day
Germany
Giftinformationszentrum Bonn 0228 19240 24 hours, every day · Germany has no dedicated animal service. Human calls come first, so an animal call can wait.
Ireland
Ireland has no animal poison service for owners. Call your veterinarian. An Irish veterinarian can consult the Veterinary Poisons Information Service in the United Kingdom.
Italy
Centro Antiveleni di Milano 02 6610 1029 24 hours, every day
Netherlands
Nationaal Vergiftigingen Informatie Centrum 088 755 8000 Veterinarians only 24 hours, every day · Call your veterinarian. Your veterinarian calls this line.
New Zealand
Animal Poisons Helpline 0800 869 738 24 hours, every day
Sweden
Giftinformationscentralen stopped answering questions about animals on 1 July 2018. Call your veterinarian or an animal hospital.
Switzerland
Tox Info Suisse 145 24 hours, every day · From outside Switzerland, call +41 44 251 51 51.
United Kingdom
Animal PoisonLine 01202 509 000 24 hours, every day · £35 from 08:00 to 20:00 Monday to Friday, £45 at other times
Veterinary Poisons Information Service 020 7305 5055 Veterinarians only 24 hours, every day · A members only service. Your veterinarian calls this line.
United States
ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888) 426-4435 24 hours, every day · A consultation fee applies
Pet Poison Helpline (855) 764-7661 24 hours, every day · $89 for each incident

Symptoms to watch for

Dilated Pupils Difficulty Breathing Panting Shock

The color of each symptom follows the severity scale above.

About

Prunus laurocerasus, also known as cherry laurel, common laurel and sometimes English laurel in North America, is an evergreen species of cherry (Prunus), native to regions bordering the Black Sea in southwestern Asia and southeastern Europe, from Albania and Bulgaria east through Turkey to the Caucasus Mountains and northern Iran.

How this plant poisons

Leaves and seed may cause severe discomfort to humans if ingested. The seeds contained within the cherries are poisonous like the rest of the plant, containing cyanogenic glycosides and amygdalin. This chemical composition is what gives the smell of almonds when the leaves are crushed. Laurel water, a distillation made from the plant, contains prussic acid (hydrogen cyanide) and other compounds and is toxic.