Keep Your Pet Safe With This Easter Do’s and Don’ts List!
Easter is one of those times of the year that’s packed with exciting activities, family fun, delicious food, and yummy bunny-shaped treats. All this hectic running around is equally enjoyable for your furry best friend! Though Fido may want in on that supper that took you days to prepare or the kids’ epic Easter egg hunt, it’s vital to remember that this holiday presents several potential hazards for canines. And, no matter how busy you are basting the turkey, you’ll need to pay close attention to your surroundings to keep your four-legged friends safe. To make this festive season easier for you and your furry pals, here’s a list of Easter doggie do’s, and doggie don’ts:
DO THIS At Easter:
Hide The Treats
Those low-cal diet treats couldn’t possibly harm Princess, right? Wrong, and you’ll need to watch out for things like sugar-free cookies and candies as they can be incredibly harmful once ingested. Artificial sweeteners, such as Xylitol, can poison your beloved pet and cause a drastic drop in your pup’s blood pressure, or even cause damage to their liver, which may result in death.
Keep The Chocolate Out Of Reach
Keep your dog away from those sweet, delicious chocolate bunnies, and anything that’s made of chocolate. Why? Because those sweet delights contain Theobromine, which is lethal to your canine. Although this ingredient is entirely harmless to humans, it can cause an increase in heart rate, shaking, seizures, and death in dogs.
Skip The Nuts And Raisins
Fatal to dogs when ingested, though it does depend on the type and quantity, nuts and raisins are a huge no-no. Since you’re a pet parent, you may want to forgo buying these items, if possible, so that you don’t have to worry about Brutus eating something that could harm him.
Include Your Furry Best In Easter Celebrations
Surprising your little ones with an amazing Easter gift? Well, hold on! Don’t forget to include a present for your uber-hairy kid! Build a basket your pup will howl over, complete with dog-friendly treats and dog-safe toys, to keep them happy and occupied (as well as out of your children’s goodies!).
DON’T do this at Easter:
DON’T Leave Dangerous Objects Lying Around The Home
If your pup can reach it, they can chew on it, eat it, and choke on it, or worse. Put away anything hazardous, like candy wrappers, plastic Easter eggs, and even things like electric cords. Easter displays should be somewhere that’s beyond your pet’s reach. Fake grass and candy wrappers can cause intestinal problems, while electrical cables (when gnawed) can produce a fatal electrical shock.
DON’T Forget Where You Hid The Eggs
Make a list of where you placed all of the treats. Once the Easter hunt is over, double-check that everything was found, especially in the front and back yards. Although we may cringe at the thought of eating week-old hard-boiled eggs, your furry companion will undoubtedly believe they’ve won the snack jackpot! While hard-boiled eggs that are only a few days old can cause stomach and intestinal distress, rotten eggs can be poisonous. Plastic Easter eggs also create a huge problem as they pose a choking hazard.
DON’T Feed FiFi Some Of Your Supper
Traditional Easter meals often include food like ham, turkey, or lamb and a variety of side dishes and desserts that may contain dangerous ingredients. What’s poisonous for your furkids? Aside from chocolate, nuts, and raisins, your meal may include sage, onions, or grapes, other equally hazardous foods. Veterinarians claim that their busiest working days always come after major holidays, and that includes Easter. On those post-celebration vet visits, doctors see a wide range of issues, from swallowed bones to upset stomachs to pancreatitis.
Looking to do something unique for your dog at Eastertime? Forgo the human food, and consider giving them a new type of doggie treat or an Easter-themed pet toy. Remember, the noisier the toy, the happier the dog!
