Spring
Hazards and dangers to look out for in Spring to keep your pet happy and healthy.
SPRING DANGERS PET OWNERS NEED TO BE AWARE OF!
Finally, spring is in the air… and there’s no better feeling after a long, cold, dark, and very wet winter. While the warmer weather signals time for fun outdoor activities – alfresco dining, camping and open water swimming to name a few – it can bring with it a new set of hazards for our pets. From blooming flowers to searing heat, and even your favourite treats, read on to learn more about the common spring dangers that can affect our furry (and not so furry!) friends.
TOXIC TREATS
With spring comes Easter, and all the delicious treats we love to devour. Most people are aware that chocolate is harmful to dogs, but did you know that cats, rabbits, rats and guinea pigs are also at risk?
Chocolate contains high levels of caffeine and a compound called theobromine that causes gastrointestinal upset, tremors, and even seizures. Hot cross buns are also a surprising hazard as the raisins and sultanas are highly toxic. Make sure Easter treats are hidden away from curious creatures and call us if you suspect you pet has eaten anything they shouldn’t.
We all love having the opportunity to cook outside during the (few) warmer months, and it is so tempting to throw the dog a sausage while barbequing…but did you know that BBQ scraps are unsafe for your pets? Cooked bones, pork, ham, chicken skin, and meaty skewers are all delicious, but hazardous to our pets. Cooked bones can easily become lodged in the gut, leading to life-threatening obstruction and fatty meats can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, or pancreatitis.
SPRING CLEANING – PRODUCTS
Keep all cleaning products of out of the reach of your pets. Some dogs may think the brightly coloured bottles are fun toys to play with.
If you put bleach down the toilet, remember to close the lid and bathroom door.
Oven cleaners and drain cleaners can be especially harmful. Keep your pets out of the room when using these products.
Call us if you think that your pet has consumed any of these!
GROWING GARDENS
Spring is the perfect time for getting busy in the garden, but many plants and chemicals can be dangerous for your pet. Toxic flowers include tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, and crocuses. All parts of the plant are harmful when ingested – and the bulbs contain higher concentrations. Cats are also extremely sensitive to the Lilium family, and any ingestion can cause fatal kidney disease. It is best to leave lily flowers out of our home and garden if you have any feline friends.
Other common garden hazards include fertilisers and weed chemicals. Store these toxins securely, and if used in your garden, make sure they are dug deep into the soil, then block access to your pets, including rabbits and guinea pigs. Snail or slug pallets are also highly dangerous, and poisoning is common, especially in dogs – they can cause tremors and seizures and can be fatal to all species.
EASTER GOODIES
At Easter there is a lot of exciting food around for us humans, however food such as chocolate (Easter eggs), dried fruit, found in hot cross buns, Easter cakes etc can be highly toxic to pets.
Check out our poisons & hazards page for more information.
During spring, biting bugs start to breed! Ticks, fleas, and mites all party hard in the springtime and can cause bites and allergic reactions. Dogs, cats, rabbits, and guinea pigs should be treated with parasite prevention. Don’t forget your chickens too, as red mites can be nuisance at this time of year.
PESKY PESTS
Increased fly activity can cause trouble for rabbits and other small furries that live outside. Flies can lay eggs in the warm wet areas around the tail, or open wounds, and maggots will emerge, leading to a nasty condition called flystrike. Keep your pet’s environment clean and dry, regularly remove any droppings and treat all wounds quickly.
As with all parasites, prevention is better than cure – and early measures should be taken to protect your furry friends from biting bugs.
Last, but certainly not least, comes snakes. Springtime signals the end of winter hibernation and as the ground warms up our scaly friends become active.
There are three types of snakes in the UK: grass snakes, smooth snakes, and adders. The adder is the only venomous species: grass snakes and smooth snakes aren’t venomous and don’t tend to bite.
Adders tend to keep themselves to themselves and don’t bite unless they are scared. Unfortunately, dogs tend to approach them without fear, startle them and get bitten! If your dog has bitten by an adder, their symptoms will depend on where the bite is, and where the venom spreads to. If the venom stays in the tissues around the bite, it will cause pain and swelling, but if it spreads further and gets into the bloodstream, it can cause much more serious problems such as damage to the liver, kidneys, heart, and nervous system.
If you suspect your pet has been bitten, seek immediate veterinary help.
ITCHY SKIN
As warmer weather approaches, a lot of animals may start becoming itchy. If this itching becomes excessive, skin infections and irritation can make your pet miserable. There are many possible reasons for the itch: parasites, bacterial infections and allergic skin disease are some of the main causes, and in some cases all of these may be seen together.
Dogs and cats with allergic skin disease can be itchy all over, or the irritation can be localised to the feet, face, ears and stomach – or even just one of these areas.
Allergic skin disease (or atopy) is particularly common at this time of year. The three most common types of allergies are:
Flea allergic dermatitis (FAD):
Some pets develop an allergic reaction to the fleas’ saliva. An itchy dog and its environment must be thoroughly treated for fleas before FAD can be ruled out.
Environmental allergens:
This is an allergic reaction to a substance (allergens) in the environment. These allergens can be seasonal (grass and tree pollens) or non-seasonal (house dust mites). The causative agents can be determined by either a blood test or intra dermal skin testing. This condition is more common in dogs compared to cats. It usually affects dogs initially between the ages of 1-3 years and the condition can last a lifetime. There appears to be an inherited predisposition with certain breeds such as Westies, Labradors, Shar Peis and Staffordshire Bull Terriers, although it can be seen in any breed.
Food allergy or intolerance:
This is the least common cause of allergic skin disease. Pets can be allergic to particular components of the food. A strict food trial (please speak to your vet for the appropriate diet recommendation) for a period of 4-6 weeks is needed followed by re-introduction of food components to confirm a diagnosis.
The approach to investigating an itchy dog can be intensive and time consuming, but depending on the cause of your pet’s itchiness we have a wide variety of treatments available to control their symptoms and keep them comfortable and happy. Please ring to book a consultation at the surgery to discuss both investigation and treatment with one of our vets.
EASTER
With bank holidays, chocolates and hopefully warmer weather, Easter is often a good time to relax. For people with dogs, this time of year is also great for long walks, but Easter can be potentially more dangerous to dogs due to the amount of chocolate involved.
Dogs like to get their paws on any food in sight, and unfortunately chocolate is one of these foods. However chocolate is toxic to our dogs. Dogs should never be given chocolate, or have access to any, this includes those hidden gems on a Easter egg hunt.
If you set up an Easter egg hunt for your children in your home or garden, make sure that you know where they’re all hidden. It’s easy to hide lots of eggs and forget about where some of them are hidden, but your dogs nose will find them easy enough. If possible, places all chocolates and eggs on the Easter egg hunt in Tupperware or boxes to prevent your dog finding them before the kids.
It’s not just the chocolate eggs that you should keep an eye on either! Boiled eggs can cause an upset stomach and constipation in your pet, especially if they eat the shells as well. If a dog consumes an egg whole, surgery may be needed to keep it from blocking the intestinal tract.
Plastic eggs pose as serious risk as well, mainly because if consumed they can’t be digested. While it may be possible for it to pass through the digestive system, it can also get stuck and cause damage requiring surgery.