ADULTPLANTS
Plants / Moraceae / Weeping fig / Toxic to dogs

Is weeping fig toxic to dogs?

Ficus benjamina

Yes

Yes. Weeping fig is toxic to dogs. The agent is proteolytic enzyme, psoralen. Call your vet if a dog has eaten any.

Poison severity not graded No authority we cite publishes a severity grade for this species. The reported signs are below instead of a number we would have to invent.
If your dog has eaten some
  1. Take any remaining plant material out of their mouth and rinse the mouth with water.
  2. Call someone. Your own vet first. Otherwise ASPCA Animal Poison Control on (888) 426-4435 or the Pet Poison Helpline on (855) 764-7661 — both charge a fee.
  3. Take a photo of the plant, and note roughly how much was eaten and when. It is the first thing you will be asked.
  4. Do not make your dog vomit unless a vet tells you to.

What it does, and why

The agent is proteolytic enzyme, psoralen.

The milky sap carries a protein-digesting enzyme that irritates on contact, plus psoralen, which sensitises skin to ultraviolet light.

Mouth and gut irritation from eating; skin reaction from sap, worsened by sunlight afterwards.

Worth watching for. Sap on skin then sun exposure can burn more than the sap alone would.

Reported signs

Signs as listed by the ASPCA under Ficus sp.. Not every animal shows all of them.

What each authority says

What each authority says
ASPCA — genus-level entry: Ficus sp.
Toxic to cats and dogs · proteolytic enzyme, psoralen
NC State Extension
Entry exists and records no poison data.

What to keep instead

Species in this database listed non-toxic to cats and dogs, chosen for a similar look or similar care rather than at random.

PlantFamilyWaterDifficulty
Kentia palmHowea forsteriana Arecaceae 8–14d 1/5
Parlor palmChamaedorea elegans Arecaceae 7–10d 2/5

Swapping the plant is the only measure that reliably works. Height and hanging baskets buy less time than people expect with a determined cat.

The other animal

Looking for cats? See is weeping fig toxic to cats. Full care details are on the weeping fig species entry.

Sources

  1. ASPCA Animal Poison Control — Ficus sp. Checked 2026-09-12.
  2. North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — Ficus benjamina (consulted; entry exists and records no poison data.) Checked 2026-09-12.
  3. Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Plants of the World Online — Ficus benjamina Accepted name and family. Checked 2026-09-12.
  4. Wikidata entity Q275160 — entity identity, so this record can be matched against other databases.
  5. Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder — Ficus benjamina Cultivation record. Checked 2026-09-12.
  6. ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, (888) 426-4435 — emergency line, fee applies

Compiled and edited by Tony Valcarcel · 2026-09-11
Tony Valcarcel is the editor and publisher of this database, not a veterinarian. Severity is reproduced from the authority that published it and is never originated here. How this is sourced.
This page is a reference, not a diagnosis. In an emergency, call rather than read.