Valentine treats to keep away from your pets

14th February 2020

It’s great to receive all of the beautiful valentine gifts from your loved ones but it’s sometimes easy to forget that some of the items can prove hazardous to your pets. Please see the top 5 hazardous treats to avoid:

1. FLOWERS
While not all are toxic to pets it’s not commonly known which exact flowers cause the most damage. Some common types of flower that are usually found in bouquets are; Daffodil, Carnation, Freesia, Peonies, Gladiolas. If in contact with dogs can cause severe vomiting, increase in thirst, haemorrhagic gastroenteritis and in some cases kidney failure.
Lilies are the next noteworthy flower to raise caution as they are extremely toxic to cats. If in contact with your pets, seek the attention of a vet immediately.

2. CHOCOLATE
Chocolate is another big treat to keep clear from. The methylxanthines present in chocolate produce agents like caffeine and theobromine which are very harmful and cause; vomiting, seizures, hyperactivity and potentially death. While the understanding is that chocolate is more harmful to dogs keep them away from your cats too, as they do just as much damage.

3. CANDLES
Flames should ALWAYS be kept away from your pets, but, this becomes especially important when you’ve romantically laid out 100’s in the bathroom or living room. Pets can easily knock over some you may have forgot about so keep cautious!

4. ALCOHOL
Keep an eye out for cheeky pets trying to sneak a sip of your bubbly, this can cause serious harm internally. Some of the symptoms you may see are; disorientation, vomiting, difficulty breathing and in severe cases, death. Keep the bubbly away!

5. SWEETS
Your curious pets can sniff out a sweet treat from a mile off, so be vigilant not to leave any lying around as they can be very harmful and could include toxins and xylitol. If in contact with your pets this will first cause vomiting with higher doses potentially leading to a sudden drop in blood sugar and subsequent loss of coordination, seizures and also low blood sugar.

Always seek advice from you vet immediately should you have any concerns about any of the above.

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