Death By Chocolate - Easter Dangers For Dogs
New research reveals the danger Easter poses for dogs. Death by chocolate is a real threat to dogs, with 99 per cent of Vets identifying chocolate as the most common human food which causes problems for dogs. Treatment for a dog ingesting chocolate costs on average over £200.
New research from Direct Line Pet Insurance reveals the risk of death by chocolate. The majority (89 per cent) of vets have treated cases in the last 12 months involving dogs being given human food which is bad for their health. The risk of pet death by chocolate has been emphasised as 99 per cent of vets report chocolate as the most common human food causing illness among dogs.
Treatment for a dog ingesting chocolate costs an average of £222. The most common course of action is induced vomiting and putting the dog on a drip. Some vets say severe incidents have cost upwards of £800. Chocolate contains theobromine, which humans can easily metabolise. Dogs on the other hand, process it slowly and find it hard to break down allowing it to build up to toxic levels which can result in death if untreated.
While chocolate is the most common type of dangerous human foods for dogs, grapes are another that cause significant harm (81 per cent). Grapes, found as raisins in hot cross buns at Easter time, can cause kidney failure in dogs so should be avoided. Other common foods to avoid giving dogs are bones from joints of meat (19 per cent) and nuts (11 per cent).
Bones can cause obstructions in the stomach and intestines, which can be life-threatening and require emergency surgery to remove. Lamb bones are particularly bad, hence the concern at Easter.
It’s no surprise that there are more cases of toxic ingestion over festive periods like Easter and Christmas than any other time of year. According to 94 per cent of vets, the increased exposure to chocolate, hot cross buns and other harmful goods needs to be recognised by owners who could be unknowingly harming their dog.
TV Vet and animal welfare campaigner Marc Abraham commented: “Owners should take great care to keep Easter eggs, hot cross buns and bones from joints of lamb out of reach of dogs this Easter. It may be tempting to give your dog some leftovers but you could be doing them more harm than good, so make sure they stick to their dog food, as ingesting chocolate, raisins and other human foods could result in serious illness, not to mention a costly trip to the vets.”
Owners should also be wary of other spring-related dangers as some plants can cause serious illness if ingested. Bulbs, including daffodils, amaryllis and hyacinths can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea according to 45 per cent of vets and can be fatal if not treated quickly. Plants can also cause skin problems like dermatitis for particular breeds including boxers, retrievers and west highland white terriers.
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