Bunnies, eggs, daffodils and that magic word...chocolate! That’s what Easter is all about, but don’t forget that whilst chocolate is harmless to us, it is like poison for our four legged friends.
Be sure to remind friends and family about the dangers of chocolate to your dog this Easter and ask everyone to take extra care to keep all those tempting treats out of your dog´s reach.
If you are organising a kids egg hunt make sure that pooch is kept on a lead and well away from any tempting hidden chocolate eggs.
Chocolate contains a substance called theobromine, which is a stimulant related to caffeine and it can cause vomiting and diarrhea, restlessness and hyperactivity, excessive thirst and increased urination, a rapid heart rate and excessive panting. If ingested in large quantities it can even be fatal.
Although it takes larger dogs longer to be affected by a helping of chocolate the severity of it depends on the dogs's weight, the type of chocolate and the amount consumed. For more information about chocolate and dogs see Chocolate Toxicity - Toxic Amounts of Chocolate.
We thought we would lend a paw at keeping those powerful noses in check over Easter and giving you a few ideas about other things you can do to distract your pooch from all that chocolate mania!
Hide n’ seek - once you have enjoyed your human egg hunt your dog can join in the fun later on Easter Sunday, try hiding a few dog treats from him/her around the garden and let your mutt do the sniffing!
Dog friendly Easter treats – Present your mutt with a rawhide easter egg treat or check out the latest doggy gadgets to distract him/her from all that egg-citement – Top ten pet gadgets. You could even get a Carob Dog Easter Egg, a healthier alternative to chocolate.If you’re feeling very generous or guilty perhaps, Holly and Lil is offering Pooch and Mutt fans 10% off its ranges of colourful and egg-travagant collars. Visit Holly and Lil and enter ‘poochandmutt’ on checkout to get your discount.
Easter Fairsand dog days - If you fancy getting out for the day you can visit the Easter Fair and Dog Show at Gables Farm in Plymouth on 11th April.The Newcastle Dog & Cat Shelter is also holding an Easter Fun Day on Easter Monday 13th April at their Benton Farm Shelter. The Americans never cease to amaze us with their crazy love for dogs, check out the Long Beach Pet Parade which takes place in California this Easter.
Take a day trip out to Norwich and visit the Pooch & Mutt stand at the East Anglian Game & Country Fair which takes place 25 and 26th April. You can enjoy displays of Dog Docking and even meet the Horse Whisperer, Gary Witheford!
Take your dog on holiday- You don’t have to leave your dog home alone this Easter why not take your pet with you? Check out the Dogs Trust listing of dog friendly cottages. A percentage of your holiday will also go to the charity. Go to www.dogstrust-cottages.co.uk or have a look at the Mirror’s guide to taking your dog on holiday here.
What to do if your dog does swallow chocolate! - If you think your dog may have eaten a harmful amount of chocolate, call your Vet or take your dog to an emergency animal hospital immediately! Symptoms will usually begin within two hours but sometimes it could also take as long as 24 hours. Delaying treatment could be a fatal mistake. Contact the PDSA for advice or contact your local vet via Yell.com
Delaying treatment could be a fatal mistake. Contact the PDSA for advice or contact your local vet via Yell.com
There is only three days left to vote on our blog! We would like to know if the credit crunch has affected your spending on you and your dog.
If you are getting ready to see 2008 out in fashion this year with a special house party celebration make sure you don’t expose your four-legged friend to any homely hazards.Preparing yourself for the 31st can reduce the chances of an unnecessary emergency vet visit in 2009.
Take me for example, this time last year, Milo managed to hoover up an excessive amount of left overs and god knows what else from under the table as well as winning over family members to give him a few extra treats here and there.On the 2nd January I found myself walking out of the vet £250 out of pocket and a very poorly pup under my arms.Turned out that my mini Milo had suffered a mild bout of pancreatitis caused by over-eating.
So to help you avoid a similar situation, here are some tips to keep you extra vigilant during your house party so that you don’t have to start the New Year with a poorly pooch or poorly pocket!
Stick to your routine - If you're having a house party try not to interrupt your daily routine with your dog, stick to his/her normal feeding and walking habits, dogs love routine. You might want to walk him/her slightly earlier to avoid any late night activity like fireworks. For more information about your dog and fireworks have a read of our 5th November blog.
Good guests - Make sure that any friends or new guests are well aware that you have a dog in the house so that he/she doesn't slip out the door in all of the confusion. Remind your guests not to give your dog any alcohol, or feed him anything other than dog treats you allow him to eat. Most human foods like chocolate, onions and even berries can be highly toxic for your pooch and cause upset sensitive stomachs or diarrhea.
New visitors - Even if your dog is particularly friendly with most people he/she may not be familiar with new faces and may act differently towards them.Watch out for children they are most vulnerable because they may not understand how to treat or act towards a dog.If you are not sure how to introduce a guest to your dog correctly check this page out.
Homely hazards - Watch out for objects which can easily fall on the floor during a party or gathering such as toothpicks, plastic food packaging or foil.These items can smell or taste of food and can be very tempting for your pet, but if they get swallowed up they can damage his/her intestines and could even be fatal.
Decorations - Burning candles, Christmas trees, decorations and lights can attract curious puppies or playful dogs.Make sure that you pet proof your home during the holidays.If you think your dog will cause himself or others harm it's best to put him in a the safety of a closed room with a cosy bed, food, water, toys and some soft music to drown out the noises.
Home sweet home - If you will be going out for New Years Eve make sure that you prepare a safe and calming environment for your dog.It may be a good idea to leave some classical music playing for him/her and make sure there is plenty of water and that any dangerous objects are well out of reach.Keep your dog inside in case of fireworks or other noisy celebrations by your neighbours at midnight and don’t forget to check that his/her I.D. tag is up to date and on his collar in case he is frightened and escapes out of your yard or during a walk. Check here to see if your dog is wearing the correct information.
Have a safe and Happy New Year! And we will see you all in 2009 where we will continue to feed you with more tips and tricks to get you out of those canine conundrums.
Be the first winner in 2009 – enter our prize draw to win a bag of Pooch & Mutt’s Bionic Biotic! Click here.
