Easter Safety For Pets

Easter is coming up on April 17th! It’s always nice to celebrate the spring holiday, and welcome the return of warm weather. Like any other holiday, Easter does present some specific hazards to our furry pals. A local New Orleans, LA vet offers some advice on keeping your beloved pet safe below.



Decorations

Keep your pet in mind as you decorate. Many pets love playing with streamers and ribbons. This can be cute, but it’s also a choking risk. That green plastic grass you often find in Easter basket arrangements is also unsafe.

Flowers

Pretty spring bouquets are a popular centerpiece for Easter dinners. However, you’ll need to be very careful here. Lilies, for instance, are extremely toxic to cats. Even drinking the water could make your feline pal very sick. Other toxic flowers include daffodils, tulips, irises, amaryllis, and narcissus, and Easter cactus. You can find more information on safe and unsafe plants at the ASPCA site here.

Chocolate

Chocolate is another big concern. It can be fatal to dogs in as little as one ounce per pound of Fido’s body weight! The culprit here is a substance called theobromine, which pets can’t metabolize properly. Keep those Easter bunnies out of paws’ reach.

Candies

Chocolate isn’t the only hazard. Any type of sweets or candies are unsafe to pets. Not only are many of them toxic, but they can also be choking hazards. The wrappers are also unsafe.

Food

Are you hosting an Easter dinner this year? You can make your furry pal a plate, but you’ll need to take care to only offer safe, suitable options, such as plain, cooked meat, without the bones. Some dangerous foods include garlic and onions, meat on the bone, grapes and raisins, dairy products, alcohol, raw dough or yeast, avocado, and anything that contains xylitol. Ask your vet for more information.

Eggs

Eggs aren’t usually considered a huge risk. In fact, cooked eggs are safe—and even healthy—for many animals. However, if you are having an Easter egg hunt, you’ll need to make sure that you pick up any eggs that were missed before your canine buddy finds them. Raw eggs go bad quickly. Unfortunately, that won’t stop Fido from eating them.

Happy Easter! Please contact us with any questions or concerns about your pet’s health or care. As your New Orleans, LA animal clinic, we’re here to help!