The hidden dangers of Easter for your pets – what to watch out for!

As Easter Sunday approaches, there are dangers for our cats and dogs that we can fail to notice.

Clare Hamilton, the founder of Cherry Tree Vets, provides advice and insight on the hidden dangers of Easter for our pets and what responsible pet owners can do to ensure that their pets are safe. After all, our pets should be able to enjoy the extra attention this Easter.

While a day full of family, overloading on chocolate, and enjoying hot cross buns sounds delightful for us, it is important to remember to remain responsible when it comes to our dogs and cats. To keep our pets safe during a day full of food and fun, I have some advice on how to keep your four legged friends safe throughout the day and what four dangers you need to watch out for.

Related: Keep your pets safe this Christmas with dog-friendly wrapping paper

1. Chocolate

Easter Sunday means for a lot of us, that chocolate Easter eggs will be shared and devoured. We love giving chocolates as a gift to friends and family, and we love receiving them. But for our pets, these treats are poisonous. Your pet might notice you popping a piece of chocolate in your mouth, but if your companion takes a bite, it could be deadly!

One common toxic component in chocolate is theobromine. Humans can digest theobromine but our pets process it much more slowly and it can poison them. Whilst your pet might not eat a large quantity of chocolate, even a small amount can be dangerous, resulting in diahorrea or vomiting. Mild signs of poisoning can occur in animals depending on the amount ingested and the animal’s bodyweight.

To prevent your pet from eating chocolate, make sure that it is out of reach. If your dog or cat is curious and likes to search for food that you do not want them to eat, then we suggest hiding it.

2. Currants

As a fruit, pet owners may think that their cats and dogs can be treated to a little currant from their hot cross bun. WRONG! Currants, like raisins and grapes, are very toxic to dogs and cats. The main risk pets have to ingested currants is severe acute kidney failure. All types of currants can result in this occurring for your pet. Even organic currants can result in toxicity. The toxicity is not necessarily dose-dependent and symptoms can occur from even the smallest ingestions.

To prevent your pet from being urgently rushed to the vet, we suggest eating your hot cross buns away from your pet. If you are near your pet and eating, eat a table and ensure your food is on your plate. We suggest this because if you were eating on the sofa, it is more likely to crumble with currants accidentally falling on the floor creating an enormous danger if it isn’t picked up immediately and your pet devours it.

3. Boxes

When gifted with Easter Eggs, cats and dogs can be drawn to the cardboard boxes they are packaged in. Cats in particular are incredibly adapt at fitting into small spaces, so be sure to dispose of your boxes straightaway to prevent your cat from being stuck in a box or panicking after having taken up camp there.

Related: Keep pets calm this Bonfire Night with help from The Dogfather

4. Spring bulbs

Easter is the perfect time of year to gift Spring flowers to those who aren’t a fan of chocolate. But make sure you keep them out of reach of your dog, particularly if they enjoy chewing or digging in the garden.

What you may not know is that Daffodils are poisonous to dogs and cats. If they eat the bulbs or flowers, or drink water from a vase with daffodils in. The result of this is that your pet can get an extremely upset stomach which can make them vomit, make them sleepy, and very wobbly on their feet. A dog that has been poisoned by daffodils might also be prone to having fits.

We suggest keeping your dog and cat out of the garden if they are prone to digging and chewing. If they need to go outside, then we suggest staying in the garden with them and being extremely observant when they are around spring flowers.

Happy Easter!