Keeping your pet safe this Easter
It’s Easter time again, which means there’s a greater chance that our furry family members may get themselves into some mischief and eat things that they shouldn’t. Here is a quick refresher on Easter hazards to watch out for.
There’s a lot to love about Easter— spending time with family, Easter egg hunts and of course all the tasty treats! But for our pets, there are lots of hazards around which could turn a lovely day into an emergency trip to the vet very quickly.
To help prevent this and keep your pets safe this Easter, here’s a list of potential hazards to watch out for:
Easter eggs and chocolate
Chocolate contains both caffeine and theobromine (a chemical compound found in the cacao plant) which can be fatal to our pets. Humans are able to break down theobromine quickly enough for it not to act as a poison. However, dogs metabolise the chemical much slower, meaning it can have detrimental effects. Your pets may be tempted by the smell of easter eggs and try to get to them when you are not looking, so it’s important to keep chocolate somewhere you know they can’t get to it.
Symptoms of theobromine poisoning include: fast heart rate, excitability, restlessness and, if severe, high blood pressure and seizures. It is also common for dogs to experience vomiting and diarrhoea after eating even small amounts of chocolate. Signs of poisoning can take between 4 - 24hrs to appear.
After ingesting chocolate, there very small window where the vet can induce vomiting, and therefore avoid any toxicity issues - therefore a quick response can make all the difference! If you suspect your pet may have eaten some chocolate, we recommend you take them to your vet immediately.
Sweets
Some sweets and lollies contain a substance called Xylitol, which is an artificial sweetener. It’s very harmful to dogs and even a small amount can be toxic to them. If your dog manages to grab some sweets, we recommend you take them to your vet immediately, as with chocolate ingestion, a quick response can make all the difference. Xylitol poisoning can cause the following symptoms: vomiting, lethargy, lack of coordination and seizures. If you spot any of these signs, contact your vet immediately.
Hot cross buns
Hot cross buns are another treat to keep out of range of our furry friends. Most hot cross buns contain a mixture of sultanas, raisins and currants which cause kidney failure in both dogs and cats. In hot cross buns that don’t contain dried fruit, many will contain chocolate instead, which is also a known toxin for dogs. Even the plain ones can be very high in sugar, which may upset your dog’s stomach resulting in vomiting or diarrhoea.
Roast dinner
It may be tempting to share some of your Easter Sunday roast with your pet; they’re part of the family too right? But giving them scraps of fatty roast meat can cause a whole host of problems, such as bloating, abdominal pain, vomiting, loss of appetite, lethargy, dehydration, fever and in more serious cases pancreatitis. So, if you want to treat your pet at dinner time, a couple of their favourite pet treats will be a much healthier option - we promise they’ll enjoy them just as much!
Decorations
Small and cute Easter decorations could become choking hazards for your pet, or, if broken, can cause cuts to their mouths. Additionally, some people like to fill Easter baskets with plastic grass, which to some pets may look like a nice, shiny treat. Swallowing plastic grass like this could potentially cause intestinal blockages that can be very serious. To keep your furry friends safe, ensure all decorations are out of your pet’s reach or too big for them to fit in their mouths. If your pet has swallowed or eaten any decorations, please seek veterinary care immediately.
Easter lilies
Lilies are extremely dangerous to cats and can cause death due to acute kidney failure. In fact, even if cats drinks the water from a vase that contains lilies, this can be fatal. If you do have lilies at home, it’s vital that they are kept well out of reach of your pets. Even if cats simply brush past lilies, the pollen can fall onto their fur and can still cause poisoning when they clean themselves.
Although Easter lilies are the most common type of lilies during this time of year, other lilies that are also toxic to your pets are tiger lilies, rubrum lilies, Asiatic hybrid lilies, Japanese show lilies, Stargazer lilies, Red lilies, Western lilies, Wood lilies. Symptoms of Easter lily toxicity include vomiting, loss of appetite, lethargy, drooling. If you believe your cat has nibbled on an Easter Lily or has had a sip from the vase, please seek veterinary care immediately, as time is of the essence in treating Easter lily toxicity.
Easter should be fun and safe for all, and by being aware of possible pet dangers related to the holiday, you're already a step ahead. If you suspect that your precious pet has eaten something they shouldn’t have over Easter, you notice changes in their behaviour or you have any concerns at all, please don’t hesitate to contact your local Animates Vetcare team or bring your beloved pet to see one of our experienced vets. We will be more than happy to offer advice.
There’s a lot to love about Easter— spending time with family, Easter egg hunts and of course all the tasty treats! But for our pets, there are lots of hazards around which could turn a lovely day into an emergency trip to the vet very quickly.
To help prevent this and keep your pets safe this Easter, here’s a list of potential hazards to watch out for:
Easter eggs and chocolate
Chocolate contains both caffeine and theobromine (a chemical compound found in the cacao plant) which can be fatal to our pets. Humans are able to break down theobromine quickly enough for it not to act as a poison. However, dogs metabolise the chemical much slower, meaning it can have detrimental effects. Your pets may be tempted by the smell of easter eggs and try to get to them when you are not looking, so it’s important to keep chocolate somewhere you know they can’t get to it.
Symptoms of theobromine poisoning include: fast heart rate, excitability, restlessness and, if severe, high blood pressure and seizures. It is also common for dogs to experience vomiting and diarrhoea after eating even small amounts of chocolate. Signs of poisoning can take between 4 - 24hrs to appear.
After ingesting chocolate, there very small window where the vet can induce vomiting, and therefore avoid any toxicity issues - therefore a quick response can make all the difference! If you suspect your pet may have eaten some chocolate, we recommend you take them to your vet immediately.
Sweets
Some sweets and lollies contain a substance called Xylitol, which is an artificial sweetener. It’s very harmful to dogs and even a small amount can be toxic to them. If your dog manages to grab some sweets, we recommend you take them to your vet immediately, as with chocolate ingestion, a quick response can make all the difference. Xylitol poisoning can cause the following symptoms: vomiting, lethargy, lack of coordination and seizures. If you spot any of these signs, contact your vet immediately.
Hot cross buns
Hot cross buns are another treat to keep out of range of our furry friends. Most hot cross buns contain a mixture of sultanas, raisins and currants which cause kidney failure in both dogs and cats. In hot cross buns that don’t contain dried fruit, many will contain chocolate instead, which is also a known toxin for dogs. Even the plain ones can be very high in sugar, which may upset your dog’s stomach resulting in vomiting or diarrhoea.
Roast dinner
It may be tempting to share some of your Easter Sunday roast with your pet; they’re part of the family too right? But giving them scraps of fatty roast meat can cause a whole host of problems, such as bloating, abdominal pain, vomiting, loss of appetite, lethargy, dehydration, fever and in more serious cases pancreatitis. So, if you want to treat your pet at dinner time, a couple of their favourite pet treats will be a much healthier option - we promise they’ll enjoy them just as much!
Decorations
Small and cute Easter decorations could become choking hazards for your pet, or, if broken, can cause cuts to their mouths. Additionally, some people like to fill Easter baskets with plastic grass, which to some pets may look like a nice, shiny treat. Swallowing plastic grass like this could potentially cause intestinal blockages that can be very serious. To keep your furry friends safe, ensure all decorations are out of your pet’s reach or too big for them to fit in their mouths. If your pet has swallowed or eaten any decorations, please seek veterinary care immediately.
Easter lilies
Lilies are extremely dangerous to cats and can cause death due to acute kidney failure. In fact, even if cats drinks the water from a vase that contains lilies, this can be fatal. If you do have lilies at home, it’s vital that they are kept well out of reach of your pets. Even if cats simply brush past lilies, the pollen can fall onto their fur and can still cause poisoning when they clean themselves.
Although Easter lilies are the most common type of lilies during this time of year, other lilies that are also toxic to your pets are tiger lilies, rubrum lilies, Asiatic hybrid lilies, Japanese show lilies, Stargazer lilies, Red lilies, Western lilies, Wood lilies. Symptoms of Easter lily toxicity include vomiting, loss of appetite, lethargy, drooling. If you believe your cat has nibbled on an Easter Lily or has had a sip from the vase, please seek veterinary care immediately, as time is of the essence in treating Easter lily toxicity.
Easter should be fun and safe for all, and by being aware of possible pet dangers related to the holiday, you're already a step ahead. If you suspect that your precious pet has eaten something they shouldn’t have over Easter, you notice changes in their behaviour or you have any concerns at all, please don’t hesitate to contact your local Animates Vetcare team or bring your beloved pet to see one of our experienced vets. We will be more than happy to offer advice.
