2020 has been a very different year for many of us so far. With the COVID-19 pandemic our daily lives have changed by necessity overnight and activities that we normally look forward to are having to be cancelled, postponed or significantly modified. Easter celebrations are going to be very different from the norm this year. Big family gatherings, community Easter Egg hunts and even church services will not take place in the same way and are now things to look forward to in future years. But despite the lockdowns there are still fun ways to celebrate Easter and to include every family member – the dog too! Knowing which activities are dog friendly isn’t always obvious so we thought we’d give some tips to help include your dog in scaled-down Easter celebrations.
Easter egg hunts
Easter eggs made of regular chocolate are a problem for dogs. Chocolate contains something called theobromine. In dogs this causes vomiting, diarrhoea, panting, excessive thirst, irregular heartbeat and seizures. In the worst cases it can result in death.
If you’re planning to do a small Easter egg hunt in your own garden for your immediate family, we’d recommend using brightly coloured plastic eggs for the children’s egg hunt. This way, you don’t end up with undiscovered chocolates in the shrubs that a curious pup might be unfortunate to discover at a later date.
You could also do an Easter egg hunt at home just for the dog. Use carob or a chocolate substitute that is specially formulated for dogs. There are plenty of them on the market these days that don’t contain theobromine.
Easter treats
Chocolate isn’t the only danger for dogs at Easter time. Anything with raisins in is hazardous for your pup, so hot cross buns are off his treat list. Try to avoid giving your dog trimmings from your Easter lunch too. One of our recent blog posts given in this link highlights 20 human foods that shouldn’t be shared with your dog.
Instead, why not prepare some dog-friendly cookies? Here’s a link to a recipe that typically goes down well with the pups.
Are there other Easter dangers for my dog?
We’re hopefully through the harshest of the cold weather. Tulips, daffodils and other bulbs are starting to flower. I love to see those splashes of colour appearing in what has been a pretty bleak looking garden for most of the winter. However, I’m also conscious that these bulbs are poisonous for dogs and try to position them in an area of the garden that my dog isn’t easily able to access.
If your dog does manage to eat Easter items that are potentially poisonous, contact your veterinarian immediately for advice.
The entire team at Travall wishes you a very Happy Easter!
Information given in this article is not a substitute for advice from a qualified medical professional. Please consult a vet for advice specific to your dog.
