Easter is fast approaching! Although our favourite little bunny comes to give us humans delicious treats, they are less great for our furry friends. Along with those chocolate sweets, there are other Easter themed items that can pose a big risk to our pets. Here are some things to keep in mind as we celebrate this Spring holiday.
Chocolate
Chocolate is toxic to dogs & cats in certain doses due to its theobromine content. The darker the chocolate, the worse it is for them. Make sure to keep all cocoa filled items away from pets. If you think your dog may have eaten some, check out this chocolate toxicity calculator to assess the risk. When in doubt, always call your vet to be safe.
https://www.vets-now.com/dog-chocolate-toxicity-calculator/
Xylitol
Chocolate isn’t the only sweet item given at Easter. Other candies and treats are often handed out and they may contain something even worse. Xylitol is a sugar alternative sweetener found in other candies and sugar free gums. This ingredient can be extremely toxic, even in small does, and pet ingestion can lead to liver failure.
Easter Basket Filling
Easter grass is a common element to stuff inside baskets and treat bags. While these tiny plastic strips add a colourful flair to decorations, they can be dangerous if ingested. Cats especially like to play in and chew on this item. If swallowed, it can lead to irritation and possible intestinal obstruction - which would require surgery to remove.
Flowers
Certain types of plants and flowers are extremely dangerous to our pets. The most common Easter one is lilies. This entire plant is particularly toxic to cats and can lead to severe kidney failure, even from drinking water out of the vase. Keep any flowers up and away from pets to avoid a trip to the vet. Not sure what plants are safe for pets? Check out this link for a list of toxic vs non-toxic plants: https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants
Easter Dinner
Is there anything better than a nice big Easter dinner, complete with ham and hot cross buns? For us, yummmm – but for our pets? Not so great. Ham and other meats can contain a high amount of fat or salt, which aren’t great for our pet’s digestion in high doses. Make sure to safely discard of any bones to prevent your dog from chocking on these small pieces. Raisins are incredibly poisonous to pets and it takes very little to make them sick. Hot cross buns, grapes, and chocolate covered raisins should be kept on high shelves or tables, far from your pet’s reach.