Easter Holiday Safety tips

Spring has sprung and the Easter holiday is upon us.  As you and your family plan for good tidings, sumptuous meals and bountiful Easter baskets, don’t forget about keeping the furry family members safe!  Today we pass along some Easter holiday safety tips on how to serve up an enjoyable holiday.

Easter holiday safety tips:

Easter lilies have long been a favorite as families dress their tables in anticipation of the Easter holiday but, did you know that lilies are the most poisonous of ALL flowers? This is true.  A lily may look beautiful on your dining room table but these lovely flowers are danger in disguise for your cats!  If you cat licks or ingests ANY part of a lily, you must seek immediate medical attention.  Your cat can go into complete kidney failure within two days!  Treatment within 6 hours will lead to the best prognosis for your kitty!  Some initial symptoms of kidney failure are: lethargy, increased thirst and urination, and vomiting.  Once the kidneys fail, decreased thirst will be notice.   Don’t take any chances; there are many other beautiful flowers for your Easter table.  Try daisies instead. Easter holiday safety tips.

Easter grass is a staple for Easter baskets.  Most of us don’t even think twice about putting it in our Easter Baskets.  Well, remember what we told you about sea weed?  The same holds true for Easter grass.  If your pet ingests Easter grass, it can lead to intestinal damage.  Your pet cannot digest this basket staple as it wraps around his intestines and you will most likely end up with an Easter disaster – major illness and surgery for your furry family member.  Try using paper grass instead!  Remember, little trinkets and toys are very interesting to your pet too so keep it all off the floor and out of Fido, Fluffy and Fifi’s paws!

Easter basket candies are treats for children but they can cause illness or even death to your pet.  Any candy is harmful to your pet due to its high sugar content but sugar free candy can be deadly.  Sugar free candy contains an artificial sweetener called xylitol and it can cause seizures and/or liver failure.  Within 15 minutes of ingestion, you might notice signs of lethargy, coordination issues, weakness or vomiting.

Another deadly sweet treat is chocolate!  The darker the chocolate, the more toxic it is.  Bakers chocolate and dark chocolate will cause the most damage, especially to smaller dogs.  Milk and white chocolate are still dangerous but less likely to be lethal.  The caffeine and theobromine in dark chocolate is what causes the high levels of toxicity because dogs can’t break it down in their system like humans can.  It can cause death so seek immediate medical attention if your dog ingests chocolate.  Do not wait for symptoms to appear (vomiting, diarrhea, panting, drooling) as it might be too late by then. Easter holiday safety tips.

Many families are tempted to bestow the gift of a bunny or chick to their kids at Easter.  It’s probably not the best idea.  Holidays are never the best time to introduce any new pet to the family. Remember, chicks grow up and have a life span of 20 years.  Are you willing to commit to responsibility of caring for a grown up bunny or chick?  You also need to know that these animals can cause salmonella poisoning to your other pets and your kids.  Do your research before purchasing a bunny of chick for Easter.

Keep these Easter holiday safety tips in mind as you plan for your spring holiday.  Make the most of your holiday but always keep your furry family members in mind.  Happy Easter from your friends at Daily Dog Walkers and Pet Sitters in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Easter holiday safety tips.