With Easter just around the corner, we start planning holiday meals, baking and looking forward to celebrating the holidays with family and friends, so now it’s the perfect time to make sure that we take our pets and their safety into consideration and plan accordingly so everyone in your family can be safe and enjoy the holidays.
Please stay away from the plastic grass for Easter baskets, it can become caught up at the back of the tongue or in the stomach of your dog making it impossible to pass through their digestive system. It can ultimately cause severe damage to the intestinal tract and require surgery.
If you using the grass, please make sure that the baskets are put away out of reach of your pets.
We all know chocolate is very dangerous for your pets, the darker the chocolate the more toxic it is for them. Please make sure that all of the chocolate eggs and bunnies are not reachable by your pet.
Lilies are highly toxic to cats! If you see your cat licking or touching any part of the flower, take them to the vet immediately, the sooner you get there the better chance you have of saving their life. The vet can induce vomiting and give activated charcoal to bind poisons in the gut and will most likely start IV fluids to flush the kidneys.
If you are planning on having your family and friends over for Easter it is a good idea to feed your dog prior to everyone arrival, with full belly they won’t be so tempted to beg for food from your guests. People unknowingly may feed them food that’s not good for them and will make them sick.
Also if you have children over, they have a tendency to leave their drinks around the house, remember that caffeinated drinks and alcohol are also toxic to animals and symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea decreased coordination and difficulty breathing.
If you want to treat your pets for Easter, bake them some special treats, like liver or peanut butter cookies. You can find a simple, healthy recipes online and if you are making Easter treats for the children, you can use the same cookie cutters to make their treats even more special and festive looking.
Safe Easter Fun for Cats and Dogs
Easter for pets should be fun, which is why you should include your furry friends in your traditions. If you regularly make Easter baskets for your children, surprise your dog or cat with one, too. Skip the Easter grass, so there are no intestinal complications, but include healthy treats and a new toy. Instead of a basket, consider putting these gifts in a new dog or cat bed they can relax in later.
Don't let the fun stop here. If an Easter egg hunt is a family tradition, get your pets in on the fun. Include your dog in an Easter egg hunt, please plan accordingly, put your dog treats in one specific colour eggs, or buy metallic colour eggs, so you know which ones are filled with the candy for children and which ones are for your dog. Fill the eggs with treats that have a strong smell, like freeze-dried liver, so your dog can follow his nose and find his treasures.
Hide cat treats and encourage your children to help your cat find them throughout the house. Another option is to fill two or three empty eggs with catnip and watch as your cat swats them all over.
Now that you, your family and animals are properly prepared for Easter visitors, have a great celebration, enjoy your family and friend, human and four legged alike.
Disclaimer: We have compiled our information from various different sources and we claim no rights to any of the information obtained herein.
