Easter Holiday Hazards
The Easter holiday season can be a lot of fun, but sometimes this busy time can have potential hazards for your pets. There are a few things to consider especially during family Easter celebrations!
- Easter Grass: Some pets may like to eat the plastic grass used for decorations around Easter. This can cause gastrointestinal impactions, vomiting, and diarrhea.
- Fertilizers & Pesticides: As the weather gets warmer many people start to garden and work on their yards. Fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides can all be harmful to your pets. Make sure these products are stored in a safe container that cannot be chewed on by the pet. The safest way to use these products is to follow the label directions and keep pets indoors when you are using them. A good rule to follow is to let the ground dry or allow the product to be watered in the ground before allowing your pet access to the treated area.
- Chocolate: Chocolates can be especially harmful to your pets. Any type of chocolate can cause gastrointestinal upset but many chocolates can cause cardiac arrhythmias as well. Dark chocolates and baking chocolates are especially harmful. Chocolate toxicity can be fatal to your pet. If your pet ingests any chocolate please call our office immediately and we can help to minimize the complications if it is caught earlier.
- Onions & Garlic: Onions and garlic can cause a severe anemia in companion animals. They also contain compounds that can cause damage to the lining of the gastrointestinal tract. If your pet ingests either of these we may need to induce vomiting if they have recently been ingested.
- Table scraps: We do not recommend feeding table scraps of any kind to your pets. Some pets can become sick with pancreatitis after eating only a small amount of table scraps. Any type of bones from the meat that you have cooked are also harmful and risk a gastrointestinal tract puncture or blockage. Make sure to tell your guests that your pet doesn’t need to be fed from the table. Pork can be especially harmful to your pets. Please do not feed your pet Easter ham or ham bones!
- Grapes and Raisins: Grapes and raisins are toxic to pets. They should not be fed to them. Even a small amount of grapes can cause kidney failure. If your pet has eaten grapes please call our clinic to discuss it with your veterinarian.
- Lilies: Most types of lilies are toxic. This includes: Easter lily, Tiger lily, Day lilies, and many other hybrid lilies. Ingestion of any part of the plant material or water contaminated with the plant material can cause serious consequences. The kidneys are rapidly affected causing renal failure. These plants can also cause vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, and tremors. Death can occur even if only a small part of the plant is ingested. Cats tend to be especially curious about these plants. We do not recommend keeping these plants in an area where your pet has access to them. If a known ingestion occurs contact us immediately.
- Alcohol: Always be cautious about any drinks, especially mixed drinks containing alcohol. Even a small amount of alcohol can cause your pet to be lethargic, depressed, and ataxic.