Toxic Treats to Watch out for this Easter
What’s not to love about Easter? It’s a time for relaxation, family and eating - not to mention the annual easter egg hunts that allow us to flex our chocolate seeking prowess. But among all this joy, Easter time can bring with it some extra dangers for pet parents - particularly in regards to some common easter treats and decorations that are actually toxic to your furry friends. So to ensure your pet stays happy and healthy over the Easter break, we’ve outlined some of the key foods and objects that your fur babies should be avoiding below.
This holiday brings the highly anticipated arrival of the Easter bunny, and while us humans can enjoy the feast of chocolate he brings, unfortunately our pets cannot. All kinds of chocolate contain a chemical called theobromine which is toxic to pets and can cause a wide range of health problems, from vomiting to seizures and even death.
While the age-old easter egg hunt is a fun tradition, it places these incredibly dangerous treats within reach of your furry friends, posing a serious health risk. So this Easter, ensure to secure your pet away in a safe location while the hunt takes place and only release them once you are sure all the eggs have been found.
Being an Easter staple, freshly baked hot-cross buns are hard to resist. However, these yummy treats synonymous with Easter unfortunately contain raisins, currants or sultanas - all foods that are toxic to pets. If ingested, these dried fruits can cause mild tummy upsets or acute kidney failure in dogs.
So if you plan on enjoying some hot cross buns this Easter, be sure to keep them out of reach and hidden away from your pet, especially if they are left alone in the house.
As a pet parent, you should also be weary of any Easter baskets or hampers that you receive as a gift. Aside from all the food they contain, the colourful artificial grasses that are often used to line these baskets usually contain plastic materials, which can be quite harmful to your pets if swallowed. As plastic is normally non-digestible, this grass can cause choking or get caught in their intestines, leading to uncomfortable blockages and possible perforation.
Therefore, if you happen to receive an Easter hamper this year, ensure you unpack it and dispose of the decorative grass quickly, or keep it well out of your furry friends' reach until you do so.
Easter time also welcomes the flowering of some absolutely beautiful blooms that look too pretty not to buy when we walk past them in the street. But pet parents beware - most flowering bulbs and what grows out of them are toxic to pets if ingested. Dogs in particular are at high risk of floral toxicity as their curious nature can cause them to inquisitively chomp on the flowers they encounter.
So if you like to brighten up your home with flowers during Easter time, ensure you display them in areas that your dog has absolutely no chance of reaching (even if they jump!).
https://www.countryliving.com/uk/wildlife/pets/a27145507/easter-pet-hazards/
