These Easter Decorations Could Be Toxic to Your Pets

by | Apr 2019

An Easter basket filled with colorful eggs

iStock/kajakiki

Nearly every part of an Easter basket is dangerous for your dog.

Easter lilies and other types of lilies are not necessarily toxic to dogs but can cause severe illness and death in cats. Even licking a few grains of pollen from their fur can result in liver failure. For dogs, consumption of these plants can upset the stomach and cause gastrointestinal distress.

During those Easter egg hunts, remember your best furry friend will likely try to sniff out those hidden goodies too. But the shape and size of eggs, they can pose a choking hazard.

If you hide real hard-boiled eggs, make sure they’ve all been found and collected before wrapping up your celebration. Eating a rotten or spoiled egg can cause food poisoning. Also, keep plastic eggs away from your dog. They’re typically filled with unsafe items like candies, coins or raisins. Plus, plastic eggs can crack and splinter into tiny, sharp shards that if swallowed, can do some serious damage. All of this means that nearly every part of an Easter basket is dangerous for your dog. So remember to celebrate with caution and care.

Ann Platt is owner of Pets Are Inn, an award-winning pet lodging business in Edina.

Of course dog parents know to keep chocolate safely away from their dog’s sweet tooth, but other candies should also be avoided. Besides the unnecessary added sugars and chemicals, many candies, especially sugar-free candies and gums, are made using a deadly-to-dogs artificial sweetener called xylitol. Just a few sticks of gum or pieces of candy made with this zero-calorie sweetener can be fatal or result in lifelong illness.

Easter Dinner

Every family has their own Easter dinner traditions. Unfortunately, big family meals almost always include ingredients or components that can seriously harm a dog.

Ham is one such traditional entree that’s double-dangerous for dogs. Not only does ham have an incredibly high sodium content, it contains high amounts of fat, too. At best, letting your dog indulge in ham can lead to upset stomach. At worst, it can lead to painful and sometimes deadly pancreatitis, an incurable inflammation of the pancreas. If your family prefers poultry at your Easter dinner, avoid sharing the skin or any cooked bones with your dog.

Other ingredients to avoid giving Fido include onions, garlic, chives and leeks, high-fat foods, raisins or grapes, sage, and any desserts that contain nutmeg. If you bake breads or dinner rolls at Easter, be sure your dog has absolutely no access to raw dough that contains yeast. Fresh dough rises as live yeast converts sugars in the dough into carbon dioxide and alcohol. If this process occurs inside your dog’s stomach, painful bloating or obstruction requiring surgery can result.

Easter Guests

Many families gather together for the Easter holiday, and that certainly includes the furriest family members! Just take a few extra precautions as guests arrive to keep your dog & cat both safe and happy in the excitement. It’s also important to make sure your pet has his own “safe place” to retreat to if he becomes overwhelmed with all the activity.

Source: Dogington Post

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