Easter

Easter is a wonderful time of the year. Spring is here, family get together, egg hunt, and lots of chocolate.

Please make sure that we all enjoy it safely with our pets. Most commonly encountered cases of toxicities at Easter time are related to:

Chocolate

Chocolate can make dogs very sick and can even be fatal. This is due to a toxin called theobromine, Humans can break down theobromine quickly enough for it not to act as a poison. However, dogs metabolise the chemical much slower.  Symptoms of poisoning are tremors, vomiting, heart arrhythmias and even fitting. It can take between 4 – 24hrs for signs to appear.  Although chocolate is also bad for cats and rabbits, they’re less likely to eat it as they can’t taste the sweetness.  If your pet ingested chocolate, please contact a vet as soon as possible and they may have to be seen to induce vomiting.

Hot Cross Buns

They contain raisins and other dried fruits, which cause kidney failure in both dogs and cats. Kidney failure classically causes increased water intake and urination; however, symptoms are usually seen weeks later when the secondary effects of reduced kidney function kick in. In the days following ingestion there are usually no clinical signs at all.  If your pet ingested food containing raisins, please contact a vet as soon as possible and they may have to be seen to induce vomiting, or in severe cases treated with fluids.

Sweets

Some sweets contain a substance called xylitol, which is an artificial sweetener. It’s very harmful to dogs and even a small amount can be toxic to them. If your dog manages to grab some sweets, watch out for these symptoms: vomiting, lethargy, lack of coordination and seizures.  

Please keep these foods out of the reach of your pets and have a wonderful, happy Easter with your furry friends and family.

Best wishes from Blackwater Valley Vets