With the Easter holiday right around the corner, many of us are enjoying spring and looking forward to Easter Sunday. However amidst all the fun, there are several safety concerns for your pets to be aware of this Easter.
1. Easter grass:
Easter grass is both highly dangerous and enticing for dogs and cats alike. If you have pets in your home, consider trying safer alternatives like crinkle or tissue paper.
2. Easter Lilies:
Unknown to many pet owners, Easter Lilies are toxic to cats. If you have a cat in your home avoid these flowers altogether or make sure they are somewhere your cat can’t access. If you do see your cat licking or eating the flowers get them to a vet right away. There are no medications to reverse the toxic effects of the lily, but your vet can still take action by inducing vomiting, giving the cat activated charcoal, and using IV fluids to flush the kidneys.
3. Chocolate and Candy:
Most of us are familiar with the danger chocolate poses to dogs. The Pet Poison Helpline estimates that their calls double the week of Easter due to dogs ingesting chocolate. However, other sweet treats can be dangerous for our pets as well. The common sugar substitute Xylitol is toxic to both dogs and cats and can cause a variety of serious health problems including seizures and liver failure. Furthermore, foil wrappings can cause serious harm to your dog or cat’s digestive tract should they eat through a wrapper to get to an enticing piece of candy. Make sure you keep track of all candy and sweets and don’t let your dog or cat have access to them.
4. Eggs:
Easter egg hunts can be a fun way to celebrate, especially with young children. However, they can pose a threat to our pets. If you hold an egg hunt make sure to count the eggs and remember where you hid each egg. The kiddos might miss a few, and if your dog finds plastic eggs filled with tempting candies, the risks to his health could be severe. Furthermore, if your furry friend finds a hard boiled egg that has gone bad it can cause serious digestive disruption including vomiting and diarrhea.
5. Crowds:
If you plan to have a lot of guests over for the holiday remember that a scared or stressed dog can be a danger to themselves and others. Try taking your dog for a walk or to the park before your guests arrive to help him burn off some extra energy, de-stress, and produce mood-boosting endorphins. It can also be a good idea to provide your dog with a crate or other “safe space” he can retreat to if the crowd in your home becomes too overwhelming. Finally, make sure any children coming over know how to be gentle with animals; and help your dog to have positive interactions with the kids in your life by gently explaining that dogs don’t like their ears or tails pulled, and that if they back away from someone or leave a situation that they want some space.