Toxicity to pets

Yew contain highly toxic compounds called taxines within throughout the plant. Although the red flesh of the fruit is non-toxic, the fruit contains a highly toxic small seed making ingestion poisonous. Ingestion of any amount or part of Yew by small animals results in gastrointestinal distress (e.g., vomiting, diarrhea, severe drooling), neurological signs (e.g., seizure, coma), low heart rate and low respiratory rate, and death. Ingestion by horses results in rapid onset collapse and sudden death. Livestock may have sudden death after ingestion or develop weakness, difficulty breathing, stumbling, and low heartrate followed by death within days.