Being aware of Easter Dangers for your pet

Around the Easter period, there may be a number of dangers in your household that are toxic to our pets. It is important to keep these items out of reach of your pets. These dangers can include:

• Plants: Flowers such as Daffodils are poisonous to pets if they ingest them, as well as many other bulbs, plants and house plants. In the situation where your pet has ingested a plant, please contact your local vet and bring information rather the plant species if there is any. If there is no information what type of plant it is then bring along a photo of the plant or a piece of the plant to help identify it. Signs of plant toxicity may include drooling, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, increased heart rate, abdominal pain, abnormal breathing or cardiac arrhythmias.
• Roast Dinners: Easter weekends may involve a roast dinner if you have managed to get roast dinner supplies at this current time. Bones given to our pets can be a risk to our pets causing intestinal blockage. In some cases the sharp edges of the bone may even pierce the intestine which may lead to peritonitis. Cooked bones are particular fragile and therefore we would advised not to treat your pet with bones to prevent any potential obstruction. Signs of an obstruction may include loss of appetite, vomiting, absence of faeces or diarrhoea, dehydration or abdominal discomfort.
• Hot Cross Buns: Hot Cross Buns are another food item that you may have in your household at Easter. These delightful bready buns contain raisins, currants and sultanas which can be poisonous to our pets even in the smallest of quantities. Bear in mind to keep cakes and buns out of reach from your pets. Signs of this toxicity may include vomiting, diarrhoea, lethargy, anorexia, abdominal pain, increased thirst, change in urine frequency or dehydration.
• Chocolate: There may be an abundance of chocolate in our households over Easter, pets eating chocolate has serious effects on their health. Make sure you keep your chocolate stash away from your pets and anyone else you don’t want getting their hands on it! Chocolate contains a substance called theobromine which can be poisonous to our pets. All types of chocolate whether it is white, milk or dark chocolate can contain Theobromine but at different quantities. In the situation, where you pet has managed to get hold of any chocolate, please contact your veterinary practice and it is always useful to have the chocolate packaging to show or discuss with your vet. Signs of chocolate toxicity can include restlessness, vomiting, diarrhoea, increased thirst, elevated heart rate, increased blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors or increased body temperature.

In a situation where your pet eats an item that is known to be toxic, please contact your independent veterinary practice, Milton Keynes Veterinary Group, immediately for advice.