Sago Palm

looks like: short palm-like plant with stiff dark green fronds, large reddish-orange seeds

where: indoor and outdoor ornamental, popular in florida, california, texas, hawaii

toxic part: ALL parts, especially seeds, are SEVERELY toxic to dogs (kills more dogs than almost any other plant)

what happens: cycasin causes acute liver failure, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, death

timeline: symptoms in hours, liver failure in 1-3 days

common mistake: dogs chewing the seeds (they like the texture). 50-75% mortality in dogs even with treatment

emergency: veterinary ER immediately. for humans, poison control + ER

worth knowing: this is probably the most underrated dog killer in suburban america