Happy Easter! Pet hazards to watch out for
When you’re excited about a holiday like Easter, it can be easy to overlook potential dangers for our furry friends. This is why the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Centre (APCC) put together this list of potential hazards so you can be prepared!
Top four aster hazards for pets
- Chocolate. According to the ASPCA, most of the calls they receive about animals ingesting chocolate happen around holidays, like Halloween, Christmas and Easter. The dangers of chocolate include gastrointestinal upset, pancreatitis, stimulation to the nervous system (hyperactivity, tremors and seizures) and elevation in heart rate. Other ingredients the ASPCA suggests to keep out of your animal’s reach include raisins, macadamia nuts, xylitol and alcohol.
- Plastic Easter grass. Animals aren’t able to absorb plastic Easter grass, so when consumed, the material can lodge in their gastrointestinal tract and cause serious problems. Signs for concern include vomiting, diarrhea, decrease in appetite, lethargy, and stomach pain.
- Plants. There are several plants that can be harmful to your furry friend, but during Easter the main ones to look out for are Lilies and bulbs in bloom in spring. Exposure can result in kidney injury and gastrointestinal upset. See our fact sheet Poisonous Plants and Flowers to learn more.
- Fertilizers and herbicides. Spring is high time to start gardening and yard work! If you use fertilizers or herbicides, keep animals indoors when applying the products and wait until the ground is dry to let your furry friend out again.
With these safety tips in mind, have a happy Easter!
If this information was helpful, please help us continue to educate about pet health and well-being by making a donation. As a registered charity that does not receive annual government funding, the Ontario SPCA depends on the generosity of donors to change the lives of animals in need.