This time of year–and this week especially–there are new, brightly-colored treats around many houses. As the season warms, families begin to put out new pots of plants and trees begin to burst with buds and flowers. Dogs are curious about the natural colors popping up, but they are likely more interested in exploring what’s inside of the Easter baskets that they might be seeing for the first time.
Jelly beans, plastic grass, fluorescent baskets, those weird microwavable oddities shaped like birds (Peeps)–all of these items are going to make your dog excited and snoopy. But, the most common questions concerning dog owners around Easter involve chocolate and dyed eggs.
What If My Dog Eats Hard-boiled Easter Eggs?
Oh yes, purple, pink, yellow, gold and every-other-color eggs are being artistically handled at houses all over the world. The boxes of neon dye are flying off the shelves … soon to dye the fingertips of children everywhere. Then comes the hunt. Well, should Fido be swifter at finding the dyed treats before your children, worry not. The dye can certainly be harmful, but the eggs themselves should be just fine, according to www.petmd.com. Many dog owners give their canines hard boiled eggs as treats throughout the year. Hard boiling them eliminates the risk of salmonella, which is the chief concern when it comes to dogs eating eggs. But what about the shells? Aside from being difficult for small dogs to eat and swallow, the shells are actually full of calcium. Never intentionally feed your dogs DYED eggs, but if they snoop their way into finding the Easter Rabbits plunder of eggs, there’s no real reason to worry.
What if My Dog Swallows Easter Chocolate?
Unlike eggs, this IS cause for concern. See, those chocolate eggs that are wrapped in tin foil or comes in cute boxes are attractive to your dogs, but they don’t know any better. Here’s a look at why chocolate is a no-no for dogs. Chocolate contains theobromine, which is toxic to dogs. Keep all chocolate far from the reach of your dog’s curiosity, especially dark chocolate, which has a greater amount of theobromine.
Should a few chocolate eggs be missing and you suspect your dog of chomping them down, watch for symptoms: vomiting (with blood present), signs of a sore stomach, excessive thirst, drooling and rapid heart rate. Should your dog exhibit any of these symptoms, get them to the vet immediately. The sooner detected, the better.
Be safe this Easter, and have a Hoppy Holiday.