March 04, 2020
It's that time of the year again! Easter is approaching and we're excited and looking forward to egg hunts, chocolate bunnies, bunny ears, and easter baskets full of goodies. However, the joys of easter can also be dangerous for your pet.
Listed below are the top 4 Easter hazards that although cute and yummy, you should bunny hop away from to keep your pets safe.
1. CHOCOLATE
Yes, chocolate takes the number one spot during the top most popular holidays of the year, Christmas, Halloween, Valentine's Day, and Easter. Emergency calls are at their highest during these holidays. Ingestion of chocolate can be detrimental to your pet, and the darker the chocolate the more toxic it is. Chocolate can cause the following health issues in dogs: stomach upset, elevated heart rate, pancreatitis, gastrointestinal issues, and even death if large amounts are consumed and not treated in a timely matter. Be safe and keep all chocolate and candy stowed away in a place your pet cannot get to, and keep in mind that when it comes to Easter, the safest and best chocolate to keep around is a chocolate lab.
Photo by Garrett Karoski on Unsplash
2. FERTILIZERS
Egg hunts and Easter BBQs call for pretty gardens! Many people like to prep their gardens on Easter weekend, and this means the use of fertilizers and herbicides is inevitable. Some precautions you can take to keep your pets safe is keeping fertilizer bottles out of your pets' reach, keeping your pet indoors while applying the products outside, and always read the bottle label instructions to know when it is safe to let your pet out into the treated area after application.
Photo by Hiro Takashima on Unsplash
3. Lillies
Lillies are beautiful, but they are extremely toxic to cats. These flowers bloom this time of the year and EVERY SINGLE part of this plant is highly toxic to kitties- the petals, stem, leaves , pollen, even the water we keep them in. Lillies are mainly known to be toxic to cats, but there is a variety of Lillies that are also toxic to dogs- calla, palm, and peace Lillies to name a few. Ingestion of these flowers is considered a medical emergency. Make it a habit to research plants and flowers before you purchase for your home if you have pets. Animals are curious and unlike us, they don't have hands so they inspect everything with their mouths.
Photo by Anita Jancovik on Unsplash
4. EASTER BASKET FILLERS
Toys! Toys are popular for easter baskets and toys attract chewers that can accidentally or purposely swallow other items. Plastic grass, plastic eggs, foil wrapping, stuffed animals, all of these items can cause obstruction in your pets' digestive system, and all require surgery for removal to save your pets' life. Pets are attracted to almost EVERYTHING so just make sure that you keep these items and cute baskets away from your pets.
Protect your pets this Easter by keeping these items well away from them or even consider using safer, different decorations this year. HAPPY EASTER!
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