How to Keep Your Pets Safe This Easter: Vet Shares Top Tips

Easter’s all about chocolate eggs, hot cross buns, and those fresh, colourful spring flowers popping up everywhere. But while you’re getting into the holiday spirit, it’s easy to forget that all these festive favourites can be pretty dangerous for your furry friends. Leigh-Anne Brown, Practice Owner of Vets for Pets Harrogate, has shared some essential tips to help pet owners keep their pets safe and happy this Easter.

Common Easter Hazards for Pets

So, what’s the problem with Easter celebrations and pets? Turns out, a lot of the treats and decorations we love can be a big deal for them.

1. Chocolate – Yep, the classic Easter treat. But for dogs and cats, especially the dark chocolate stuff, it’s toxic. Just a small amount can cause symptoms like vomiting, a super-fast heart rate, and even seizures.
2. Hot Cross Buns – They may be delicious, but they’re full of dried fruits like raisins, currants, and sultanas. And those can be deadly for dogs.
3. Spring Flowers – Who knew pretty blooms could be so dangerous? Tulips, daffodils, and especially lilies can be harmful to pets. Cats are most at risk from lilies—even just brushing against the pollen and grooming themselves later can cause serious kidney failure.

Why Easter Egg Hunts Aren’t Always Fun for Pets

Easter egg hunts are great fun for kids, but not so much for pets. Those plastic eggs, small toys, and hidden chocolate? Total choking hazards if your pet gets curious and tries to snack on them.

Leigh-Anne suggests keeping your pets safely indoors until all the eggs and toys are accounted for. And if you’re keen to include them in the fun, you can hide pet-safe treats instead. Imagine your dog or cat having their own little Easter hunt—that’s the kind of memory that sticks.

Think Twice Before Sharing Easter Lunch

You might be tempted to share your Easter feast with your pets, but Leigh-Anne warns against it. Cooked bones—especially poultry bones—can splinter and cause blockages or nasty internal injuries. And the leftovers? They should be chucked away securely, out of reach of any sneaky snouts.

Instead, treat them to something pet-friendly. Think special treats made just for them, or even just their regular food served up like it’s a big occasion. They’ll feel part of the action without the risk.

Top Tips for Keeping Your Pets Safe This Easter

Here’s how to enjoy Easter without the emergency vet visits:

• Store chocolate and hot cross buns out of reach. High shelves or locked cupboards are your best friends here.
• Keep dangerous flowers and plants away from pets. If you’re buying flowers, maybe opt for pet-safe ones or keep the toxic blooms well out of reach.
• Secure Easter decorations and small toys. If you’ve got a playful pet, double-check they can’t get their paws on anything risky.
• Give pets their own safe treats. It’s easy to include them in the celebration without putting them at risk.

“The best way to keep your pet safe is through awareness and prevention,” says Leigh-Anne. “By making a few small changes, you can enjoy a happy and stress-free Easter with your furry family members.”

What To Do If Your Pet Has An Emergency

If you even slightly suspect your pet’s got into something they shouldn’t, don’t wait. Contact your vet right away. Symptoms like vomiting, lethargy, tremors, or just acting weird shouldn’t be ignored. Quick action really can make all the difference.

Leigh-Anne’s final piece of advice? Always keep your vet’s contact details somewhere you can grab them fast. Better safe than sorry.

Enjoy your Easter celebrations—but keep your pets safe while you do it!