Foxglove Toxic?

Updated 2026-03-06| 4 min read| 1,300 found this helpful

All parts of the foxglove plant are toxic, and drying, storing, or cooking does not deactivate its harmful compounds.

It is severely toxic to cats, dogs, horses, and birds, with even small ingestions posing a fatal risk.

Cardiac glycosides are the primary toxic principle, targeting the heart to cause life-threatening arrhythmias and failure.

FAQ

Is Foxglove toxic to Humans?

Vomiting, bloody or watery diarrhea, shortness of breath, drowsiness, initial slow heart rate, cardiac arrhythmias, unsteadiness, tremors, convulsions, cardiac arrest, death (Severe)

Is Foxglove toxic to Cats?

Vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, abnormal heart rate, cardiac arrhythmias, tremors, seizures, cardiac failure, death (Severe)

Is Foxglove toxic to Dogs?

Vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, abnormal heart rate, cardiac arrhythmias, tremors, seizures, cardiac failure, death (Severe)

Is Foxglove toxic to Horses?

Vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, abnormal heart rate, cardiac arrhythmias, tremors, seizures, cardiac failure, death (Severe)

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Toxicity Details

Humans

Severe

Vomiting, bloody or watery diarrhea, shortness of breath, drowsiness, initial slow heart rate, cardiac arrhythmias, unsteadiness, tremors, convulsions, cardiac arrest, death

Cats

Severe

Vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, abnormal heart rate, cardiac arrhythmias, tremors, seizures, cardiac failure, death

Dogs

Severe

Vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, abnormal heart rate, cardiac arrhythmias, tremors, seizures, cardiac failure, death

Horses

Severe

Vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, abnormal heart rate, cardiac arrhythmias, tremors, seizures, cardiac failure, death

Toxicity Snapshot

Toxic PartsAll parts of the plant

Exposure RoutePrimarily ingestion of any plant part; human exposure often occurs via misidentification during foraging, while pets/livestock are exposed by grazing on the plant

Toxic CompoundsPurpurea glycoside A; Purpurea glycoside B; Digitoxin; Gitoxin; Digitoxigenin; Gitoxigenin; Digitonin; Gitonin; Tannins; Flavone derivatives

First Aid & Prevention

First 30 Minutes

• If ingested and the affected individual is conscious and not seizing, immediately induce vomiting to remove unabsorbed plant material
• Rinse the mouth thoroughly with clean water to eliminate any remaining plant residue
• Keep the individual calm and at rest to avoid putting additional strain on the heart

Contact Vet Immediately

• Any confirmed or suspected ingestion of any part of foxglove, regardless of amount consumed
• Onset of any related symptoms including vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, abnormal heart rate, or seizures
• Known exposure to foxglove in cats, dogs, horses, or birds, which are at very high risk of fatal outcomes

Prevention

• Avoid planting foxglove in areas accessible to pets, livestock, or unsupervised young children
• Never forage wild plants for edible or medicinal use unless you can definitively distinguish foxglove from non-toxic lookalikes
• Wear gloves when handling foxglove plants to avoid sap exposure and accidental ingestion of residue from your hands

Treatment & Prognosis

• Perform decontamination via induced vomiting, activated charcoal administration, or gastric lavage as medically appropriate
• Administer atropine to treat bradycardia and bradycardic arrhythmias; do not administer calcium under any circumstances
• Provide continuous cardiac monitoring and supportive symptomatic care until all toxic effects fully resolve

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Professional Toxicology

Scientific NameDigitalis purpurea

AliasesPurple foxglove、Common foxglove、Lady's glove、Shepherd's glove、Wood bell

Toxicity Grade

HumansSevere

CatsSevere

DogsSevere

HorsesSevere

Target Organs

HeartGastrointestinal tractCentral nervous system

Mechanism of Action

• Cardiac glycosides disrupt normal cardiac cell function, leading to life-threatening heart rate and rhythm abnormalities

• Irritant compounds in the plant cause gastrointestinal inflammation, leading to vomiting and diarrhea

• Toxic components are not deactivated by drying, cooking, or long-term storage, so all forms of the plant remain dangerous

Other Species Risk (CliniTox)

Information from CliniTox veterinary text.

Birds: Severely toxic; ingestion of even very small quantities of the plant can cause rapid cardiac arrest and death

Confusion Risk

The following plants look similar and may be confused:

Other foxglove species Digitalis spp.

All Digitalis species have very similar morphological features and equivalent high toxicity levels, making differentiation difficult for non-experts

Common comfrey Symphytum officinale

Non-flowering foxglove leaves are visually nearly identical to young comfrey leaves, which are sometimes foraged for medicinal use, leading to accidental poisoning

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Related Toxic Plants

Yellow foxglove

Digitalis lutea

Severely Toxic

Common figwort

Scrophularia nodosa

Moderately Toxic

Common toadflax

Linaria vulgaris

Low to Moderately Toxic

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Data Sources

1. ASPCA Animal Poison Control

2. CliniTox (Universität Zürich)

This information is for reference only and does not constitute medical advice. If ingestion or poisoning is suspected, seek medical or veterinary attention immediately.