As we all get ready for the impending Easter holiday, it’s important to remember the dangers that your family’s holiday celebrations might pose to your pet. Before we start concealing eggs in the yard for the yearly egg hunt, we need to make sure that any easily accessible risks to our animal companions are relocated. For those who are unaware of the dangers that this Christmas season might bring, we’ve developed a list of risks that must be kept away from all dogs for their safety this year.
1] Chocolate
Chocolate and pets aren’t a good combination. Chocolate includes caffeine and theobromine, two chemicals that contribute to the high toxicity of chocolate in dogs. Due to the high amounts of these chemicals in dark chocolate and unsweetened baking chocolate, they are particularly harmful to dogs (known collectively as methylxanthines). Due to their lack of a sweet appetite, cats are less prone to consume chocolate. If they do consume any, though, they may have the same side effects as others who consume chocolate. Call your veterinarian right away if you suspect your pet has eaten chocolate or is exhibiting symptoms like vomiting or diarrhea. They may request that you bring your pet to the clinic or induce vomiting at your house.
2] Lilies
Lilies are lovely flowers that are especially popular around Easter. While you’d never feed a lily to your cat, some cats can’t seem to stay away from plants. Lilies can induce drooling, vomiting, lethargy, and possibly deadly renal failure in cats if eaten in small amounts. All elements of the plant, including the water in the vase, are poisonous. Lilies may cause slight stomach discomfort in dogs, but they do not cause renal failure.
3] Grapes and Raisins
Dogs are particularly vulnerable to the health dangers due to eating grapes or raisins, while cats and other pets are also susceptible to grape poisoning. Some grape types can induce renal failure in addition to causing gastrointestinal discomfort, lack of appetite, and diarrhea.
4] Easter Decorations
Plastic Easter grass as well as other Easter baskets fillers are the most dangerous items in this category. The brilliantly colored, beautiful grass liner on the bottom of your child’s Easter Basket seems like an all-too-appealing feast to Fido or Kitty. Plastic, unbeknownst to Fido, is not edible and, if swallowed, can cause catastrophic gastrointestinal obstructions. Vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, fatigue, lack of appetite, discomfort, and/or bloating are common side effects. Surgical removal of these blockages is frequently required. Maintain the basket filler out of reach of your dogs or even out of the basket entirely.
5] Salty and Fried Food
We all know not to consume salty or fried foods, but it’s also crucial that dogs don’t get these delicacies. Salty foods can induce sodium ion poisoning in dogs, in addition to the choking hazards of, for example, a pretzel stick. Diarrhea, fever, extreme thirst, renal damage, convulsions, and vomiting are some of the symptoms. Fried meals, particularly fried chicken, can trigger life-threatening pancreatic inflammation.
It’s critical to call a veterinarian right away if you suspect your pet has consumed one of the risks. Giving us information like your pet’s weight and an idea of how much they ate will help us figure out whether they ate too much. At Texas Wellness Spay and Neuter Clinic, you will find the best vets for your pets!
