Easter is a great time of year! Warm weather is on the way, mowing the grass, hunting eggs – but with all of that comes hazards especially for our four legged babies. Below are some items your pets should avoid this Sunday:
Easter Grass
The first item on our list is Easter grass, it is generally used to decorate Easter baskets filled with candy, eggs, and toys. Although the grass is visually appealing to people, it can also spark curiosity in our pets – it looks yummy and shiny! It’s very important to keep an eye on Easter baskets with fake grass as it is indigestible if consumed. The string-like shape of the grass can cause a foreign body which are particularly dangerous as it can cause the bowel to fold around the object. This can potentially lead to rupture of the bowel and sepsis – normally an emergency surgery has to be performed to fix this. Signs that your pet may have a foreign body include vomiting, diarrhea, decrease in appetite, and lethargy.
Chocolate
Who doesn’t love enjoying a sweet and delicious chocolate treat on Easter Sunday? While there are many different options of chocolate eggs and bunnies for people to choose from, these treats are toxic to both cats and dogs. When ingested in large amounts, chocolate can cause gastrointestinal upset, cardiac arrhythmias and unwanted stimulation to the nervous system resulting in tremors and seizures. If a very large amount of cocoa is ingested, it can be fatal. Dark chocolate has higher amounts of cocoa and is more dangerous than milk chocolate. If you know your dog has eaten any kind of chocolate please contact a veterinarian quickly, it is best to make your pet vomit before there are clinical signs present.
Easter Lilies
For families with cats, it’s very important to know that some Easter flowers can pose a huge risk to our feline friends. The Easter Lily, as well as many other types of lilies, are very dangerous and can even be fatal if ingested by cats as it causes acute kidney failure. Although lily poisoning doesn’t cause kidney failure in dogs, it can cause gastrointestinal upset. Given the high risk that comes with these flowers, having them in your kitty-friendly home is strongly discouraged. It’s also important to be mindful of any new plants or flowers you may introduce into your home if you have pets! Again, pets are very curious so be aware of that when purchasing any type of plant.
Small Toys & Goodies
Easter baskets are filled with plastic eggs, toys, and other small goodies a dog could get into. Though these items may be small, they can cause big problems! Ingesting a small toy could lead to choking or a gastrointestinal blockage that may need to be surgically treated by a veterinarian. To keep this from happening, it’s best to keep all Easter baskets off the floor and out of your pet’s reach!
If you believe your pet has gotten into one of these items and is showing signs of lethargy, decreased appetite, vomiting, having diarrhea, or simply not acting like their usual self, please contact us. We hope this helps you keep your pets safe during the upcoming holiday.
