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I am sent emails by a Dr Jon in the USA, and today's one is very relevant.
Ranald
Happy Easter - What You Should Know to Protect Your Dog
Happy Easter! Many people who celebrate this holiday will be having family celebrations, Easter egg hunts and Easter baskets filled with jellybeans and chocolate bunnies. You may also have your home decorated with seasonal decorations or plants.
But common Easter traditions can be dangerous for your pets. Every year thousands of pets become injured and/or deathly ill each year. To keep your pet safe, you should be aware of some common Easter pet perils.
• Plastic Easter Grass and Other Goodies. Like children, pets love to nibble on goodies in the Easter basket. Unfortunately, our curious pets enjoy everything in the basket, even the colorful plastic grass, toys and foil-wrappers on candies.
Take care to keep Easter baskets away from your pets. The plastic in Easter grass is non-digestible and can get caught in the intestines, leading to blockage and possible perforation. Once ingested, the grass, as well as small plastic toys, can cause choking or become lodged in the stomach or intestines and create an obstruction.
Your pet may also ingest streamers and other decorative items - even ribbons and bows that have been tied around your pet's neck. Don't be tempted to decorate your pets; they don't enjoy it and it may result in choking or strangulation. Keep these items away from your pets and throw candy wrappers in a covered trash can.
If you suspect that your dog has ingested something that may not pass through his intestinal tract, contact your veterinarian. Waiting until your dog starts to vomit will make removal of the object more difficult and costly. Also, if you notice a sudden loss of appetite, vomiting, excessive drooling or abnormal bowel movements, consult with your veterinarian immediately.
• Chocolate Toxicity. Did you know that chocolate can poison your pet? Chocolate is toxic to both dogs and cats, and other candies and wrappers can become lodged in the stomach or cause your pet to choke.
Chocolate has a high fat content and it contains caffeine and theobromine, which stimulate the nervous system and can be toxic if taken in large amounts. Depending on the type of chocolate ingested and the amount eaten, various problems can occur. White chocolate has the least amount of stimulants and baking chocolate has the highest. To learn more and to find out what kinds of chocolate are most toxic, go to: Chocolate Toxicity.
• Easter Lilies (and other lilies such as the day lily and the tiger lily). For many, the beautiful trumpet-shaped white flowers symbolize purity, virtue, innocence, hope and life - the spiritual essence of Easter. Cat owners, however, need to be especially careful with these beautiful flowers because their leaves contain toxins that can cause severe kidney damage. (So far, toxicity has not been reported in dogs. But if you have a cat, or know someone who does, this is information you need to know. Also, you do not want to bring a lily plant to someone's home if they own a cat.)
Eating just one leaf of this toxic plant can result in severe poisoning and within a short time the cat will exhibit signs of toxicity. Minutes to hours after ingestion, the cat may stop eating and begin vomiting. As the toxins begin to affect the kidneys, the cat may become lethargic, and within five days, kidney failure will cause death. To learn more, go to Easter Lily Toxicity.
Please share this with all of your pet loving friends, dog or cat, and help keep pets safe during the Easter holiday. I'd like to save as many pets as possible.
Dr Jon
Ranald
Happy Easter - What You Should Know to Protect Your Dog
Happy Easter! Many people who celebrate this holiday will be having family celebrations, Easter egg hunts and Easter baskets filled with jellybeans and chocolate bunnies. You may also have your home decorated with seasonal decorations or plants.
But common Easter traditions can be dangerous for your pets. Every year thousands of pets become injured and/or deathly ill each year. To keep your pet safe, you should be aware of some common Easter pet perils.
• Plastic Easter Grass and Other Goodies. Like children, pets love to nibble on goodies in the Easter basket. Unfortunately, our curious pets enjoy everything in the basket, even the colorful plastic grass, toys and foil-wrappers on candies.
Take care to keep Easter baskets away from your pets. The plastic in Easter grass is non-digestible and can get caught in the intestines, leading to blockage and possible perforation. Once ingested, the grass, as well as small plastic toys, can cause choking or become lodged in the stomach or intestines and create an obstruction.
Your pet may also ingest streamers and other decorative items - even ribbons and bows that have been tied around your pet's neck. Don't be tempted to decorate your pets; they don't enjoy it and it may result in choking or strangulation. Keep these items away from your pets and throw candy wrappers in a covered trash can.
If you suspect that your dog has ingested something that may not pass through his intestinal tract, contact your veterinarian. Waiting until your dog starts to vomit will make removal of the object more difficult and costly. Also, if you notice a sudden loss of appetite, vomiting, excessive drooling or abnormal bowel movements, consult with your veterinarian immediately.
• Chocolate Toxicity. Did you know that chocolate can poison your pet? Chocolate is toxic to both dogs and cats, and other candies and wrappers can become lodged in the stomach or cause your pet to choke.
Chocolate has a high fat content and it contains caffeine and theobromine, which stimulate the nervous system and can be toxic if taken in large amounts. Depending on the type of chocolate ingested and the amount eaten, various problems can occur. White chocolate has the least amount of stimulants and baking chocolate has the highest. To learn more and to find out what kinds of chocolate are most toxic, go to: Chocolate Toxicity.
• Easter Lilies (and other lilies such as the day lily and the tiger lily). For many, the beautiful trumpet-shaped white flowers symbolize purity, virtue, innocence, hope and life - the spiritual essence of Easter. Cat owners, however, need to be especially careful with these beautiful flowers because their leaves contain toxins that can cause severe kidney damage. (So far, toxicity has not been reported in dogs. But if you have a cat, or know someone who does, this is information you need to know. Also, you do not want to bring a lily plant to someone's home if they own a cat.)
Eating just one leaf of this toxic plant can result in severe poisoning and within a short time the cat will exhibit signs of toxicity. Minutes to hours after ingestion, the cat may stop eating and begin vomiting. As the toxins begin to affect the kidneys, the cat may become lethargic, and within five days, kidney failure will cause death. To learn more, go to Easter Lily Toxicity.
Please share this with all of your pet loving friends, dog or cat, and help keep pets safe during the Easter holiday. I'd like to save as many pets as possible.
Dr Jon