Most people celebrate Easter in one way or another but are you aware of how many things can be toxic to your dog? It is really easy to become lax when you’re enjoying yourself but it’s important to always be careful.
Chocolate is one of the biggest risks at Easter, especially if you are planning an Easter egg hunt. Even just a small amount of chocolate can be harmful to your dog. If you are planning an Easter egg hunt keep your dog away and make sure all eggs are found before letting your dog into that area again. We all know children like to share their food with the family pet so please supervise as much as possible.
As well as Easter eggs, hot cross buns are popular at this time of year. Raisins and sultanas can prove fatal so it’s incredibly important that your dog doesn’t eat any of these. Make sure if your dog likes to counter surf that they aren’t left on the worktop or table within their reach.
The adults in the home may prefer alcohol to chocolate so make sure glasses and bottles are kept in a safe place. Some alcohol tastes very sweet and this can be appealing to dogs.
For people that don’t like chocolate or alcohol (whoever that may be!) flowers are always a nice gift and there are lots of common types that can be poisonous to your dog. They may be given as a bunch, as a plant or growing in your garden but if you know your dog is inquisitive make sure you keep them away.
Lillies, daffodil (bulbs), baby’s breath, clematis, foxglove and wisteria (pods and seeds) are just some of the plants that can harm your dog.
The Dogs Trust has an extensive list that can be found on the following link https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/help-advice/factsheets-downloads/factsheetpoisonoussubstances09.pdf
Teaching a good “leave it” and “drop it” will help with all of these things but ideally you want everything out of reach anyway. The following clip shows Vinnie doing “leave it” which I teach to all puppy owners on my puppy course. Ignore the Coronation Street theme in the background!
If you think your dog has digested any of these items it is incredibly important to seek the advice of a vet. Knowing what they have digested, and how much, will help the vet determine the plan of action.
Some insurance companies have a free 24 hour vet helpline so it is always worth checking to see if you have this. There is also a 24 hour animal poison line you can call, details can be found on the following link https://www.animalpoisonline.co.uk/ You do have to pay a small fee but it may be cheaper than calling your vet out of hours. Anyone that gives advice on what to do legally has to be a qualified veterinary nurse or veterinary surgeon so you can be sure that you are getting the correct information.
If your dog does need to go to the vet try and remain calm, they an tell when we panic. The sooner you get them any medical attention they need the more likely that they will make a full recovery.
Aslong as you stay vigilant and use common sense there is no reason why you and your dog can’t enjoy Easter together.