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enter image description here I need help identifying this plant, it may have made my dog sick.

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    Where does this plant grow? And the holes / tears are bite marks, I presume?
    – Stephie ♦
    Commented Oct 9, 2016 at 18:46
  • Yes, the holes and tears are most likely from the puppies. We are located in Southeast Michigan.
    – Jessica Richter
    Commented Oct 9, 2016 at 18:55
  • What symptoms are the puppy or puppies displaying.. I sure hope you've taken them to the vet!! Do you see any other plants like this in your yard, neighbor's yard? Have you shown this to your neighbors?
    – stormy
    Commented Oct 9, 2016 at 23:29

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After some super input from 'someone else', we should consider Arctium lappa or Common Burdock. These leaves in the picture are of a plant without fertilizer and only periodic watering. Burdock leaves can get huge with lots of water and a bit of fertilizer! Look at the margins, overall shape, color and if we were to pull that plant out of there we could see that root.

If this answer is correct, then I doubt this caused the puppies any sickness. I'd like to hear what the symptoms of those puppies were? What the veterinarians have found. Please say they are fine now, those puppies or puppy is still fine?!

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This plant is definitely burdock. Its leaves can become massive and in its second year it will send up a large flower stalk with seeds that mature as spiny burs like velcro that will stick to your clothes. Cool plant - has medicinal qualities. Leaves are extremely bitter so I doubt your pet would want to eat it! If you want to remove it, dig out as much of the taproot which can get very deep as you can.

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After a bit of research this looks like Digitalis or Foxglove.digitalis picture of leaves

How are your puppies/puppy/dog? What were the symptoms? After looking at the pictures I sent you, does this plant look familiar?

Foxglove is very poisonous. Let your veterinarian see these pictures, they SHOULD be well versed with poisonous plants for dogs and cats! So MANY are in our yards!! When your pets are outside they should be supervised and taught to not eat any plant material. Cats are far more vulnerable as people allow them to become the 'neighborhood' cat (grrrrrr) and ALL lilies of all kinds are very poisonous to cats in particular but dogs as well.

What other plants are in your yard?

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  • I don't think this is a foxglove - not sure what it is though, maybe one of the Verbascums
    – Bamboo
    Commented Oct 10, 2016 at 19:29
  • This ain't easy as this plant is not true to form. I used to have a nice little library where I could figure out these botanical mysteries. There is so much on the internet and have not been happy with any of the keys. What do you recommend? I'll go back and cogitate a bit more...
    – stormy
    Commented Oct 11, 2016 at 0:59
  • I've been scouring the internet myself, drawn a blank - the closest is mullein or verbascum rather than foxglove, but I'm not convinced its that either - this one looks very floppy and its in poor condition, whatever it is. If its mullein, its unlikely to have caused sickness, but then puppies eat practically anything, so it may not be this that caused the trouble anyway
    – Bamboo
    Commented Oct 11, 2016 at 1:04
  • The venation is Digitalis, the edges the rounded serration, the color of dusty bluish weeds by a driveway? Basal growth...I'll hold onto Digitalis for my bet until we get more information, grins!!
    – stormy
    Commented Oct 11, 2016 at 10:49
  • Digitalis would certainly cause vomiting...
    – Bamboo
    Commented Oct 11, 2016 at 11:22

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