Celebrate Easter safely with your dog

This month brings the fun of Easter Bonnets and Easter Egg hunts. The excitement builds and gets us all outside and enjoying the spring blossoms and greenery. And of course who doesn’t love a hot-cross bun and a lovely chocolaty egg. But of course, a lot of these treats which are enjoyable for us, can be deadly for our dogs. So here are some things to keep in mind: Easter Eggs These can be toxic to dogs. Chocolate contains a chemical called ‘theobromine’ which can, even in small amounts, cause vomiting, diarrhoea, hyperactivity, tremors, seizures, heart problems and in some severe cases, even death. So, let’s all be sensible. Keep them out of reach of your pets and if you do hide them for the kids or grandkids remember to count them out and make sure you collect all of them (and don’t forget to not let your dog join in the search however much they would like to). If of course you do slip up do call your vet if you suspect that your dog has indeed treated themselves to chocolate. And if you do want to make them feel part of the whole event you can get ‘chocolate’ eggs made specifically for dogs like this one. Hot Cross Buns and Simmel Cake Who doesn’t love a toasted hot cross bun smothered in butter? We know we do! But remember dried fruit can be nasty for dogs. Sultanas, raisins and currants are all toxic to dogs. They can all cause liver failure and even though vets still don’t know exactly what in these proves toxic for dogs we are sure that they should be avoided at all costs. In the same way Simmel cake is another no go. Bulbs From daffodils to tulips, they all make us smile knowing that the world is waking up again. But these bulbs especially daffodils can be the cause of a nasty upset stomach. They can also make your dog sleepy or even fit. So keep the diggers out of the daffodil and other spring bulb patches in your gardens and make sure they don’t do the same when out on walks. If you do suspect your dog has eaten something they shouldn’t have, or become unwell remember to get in touch with your first as soon as possible. And if your pup does simply overindulge our Probiotic Paste will soon get their tummy feeling better again. Wishing you all a happy Easter break from the Broadreach Nature team.