Commitment to Care: Easter Safety for Pets
The last thing you are likely to concern yourself with at this time of year is Easter being an unsafe time for your pets. Many of us think about that cute bunny bringing baskets filled with fun stuff, spring flowers and great food. As you and your family get ready for this festive holiday take some time to make sure your pets are safe.
Chocolate – A great treat for humans but not for our pets, especially dogs. What makes chocolate so toxic is that it contains theobromine and also caffeine. Dogs process theobromine and caffeine slowly which gives time for the toxic compounds to build up in their systems and causes them to be sick. Not all chocolate is the same, the most toxic for pets is baker’s chocolate and cocoa, followed by dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate.
Easter Grass – We all love the look of that bright and colorful grass in Easter baskets, and so do our pets. That bright color grabs our pet’s attention very quickly and they are tempted to play with it or nibble on it. Easter Grass can cause a blockage in your pet’s digestive system, which can become fatal if left untreated. The only treatment is surgery to remove the foreign body. An alternative would be to use tissue paper or no grass at all.
Easter Lilies – Everyone loves getting and giving Easter Lilies this time of year. They are beautiful to look at and they smell amazing. However, these flowers are extremely toxic to pets, especially cats. If you have dogs in your household keep Easter Lilies up high so they don’t get into them. If you have cats in your household leave the plant outside on your porch. It will look great, and the plant will be much happier outside. If a cat eats a couple of leaves or even licks a few pollen grains off their fur it can quickly cause acute kidney failure.
If you suspect your pet may have ingested any of these products call us immediately at (727) 546-0005 or go to your local animal emergency hospital. Don’t wait till your pet shows signs of illness – the sooner your pet gets treatment the more likely it is that they will make a complete recovery.