April 14th, 2011
Easter Lily - jjjj56cp/Flickr
When people think of potential pet hazards associated with the Easter holiday, chocolate often comes to mind first. In fact, according to veterinarians at the Pet Poison Helpline, calls concerning dogs that have been poisoned by chocolate increase by nearly 200 percent at this time of year.
But other, more deadly dangers may sneak in the house unnoticed.
Top 4 Easter Dangers for Pets
1) Easter Lily – this iconic flowering plant is highly toxic, even deadly, to cats. The toxin of this plant causes kidney failure within 6 – 12 hours of ingestion. There is no antidote; treatment is supportive and must be quick and aggressive to counter the toxin.
Other plants of the Lilium and Hemerocallis species, commonly referred to as Tiger lilies, Day lilies and Asiatic lilies, are also toxic. Asiatic lilies are commonly found in grocery store bouquets.
“Unbeknownst to many pet owners, Easter lilies are highly toxic to cats,” said Ahna Brutlag, DVM, assistant director at Pet Poison Helpline. “All parts of the Easter lily plant are poisonous – the petals, the leaves, the stem and even the pollen. Cats that ingest as few as one or two leaves, or even a small amount of pollen while grooming their fur, can suffer severe kidney failure.”
Learn more: Lily toxicity
2) Easter Grass - while not a toxin, this ‘fake grass’ can be very tempting to cats and dogs. The plastic stringiness of Easter grass can get caught around the tongue or bunched up in the intestines, causing a complete blockage, or what is known as a Linear Foreign Body; a bunching up, and sometimes slicing through, the intestines.
Related: Icky things pets eat
3) Xylitol – this sweetener is commonly found in gum (the amount varies widely by brand of gum), baked goods, and candy. It is very toxic in small amounts to dogs and ferrets.
Learn more: xylitol toxicity
4) Chocolate – bunnies, eggs, and all sorts of chocolate goodness abound at this time of year. Most people know that chocolate should not be eaten by pets (more for us!), but ingestion accidents happen. Pets can be sneaky and can sniff out chocolate, even when hidden.
Most of the chocolate this time of year is the milk chocolate variety, which is one of the least toxic (darker, more bitter chocolate is more toxic), but gastric upset can occur. Larger chocolate ingestions may bring on tremors.
Ever wonder why can we eat chocolate and pets can’t? Learn what makes chocolate toxic to pets and not humans.
Learn more: All about chocolate toxicity
Help spread the word
All of these items are available year round (if not Easter lily, then a common lily substitute), and awareness is key to preventing a tragedy. If your pet has ingested any of these items, please call your veterinarian or Pet Poison Helpline (800-213-6680) immediately.
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Janet Tobiassen Crosby DVM never planned to be a writer. She wanted to be a veterinarian from the moment she learned such a job existed - sometime during the first grade, when she accompanied her mom to the vet with a sick cat. Janet "adopted" all the neighborhood cats, and at age 11 she started training her first dog, a newly adopted rescue Collie. At age 12, she joined a dog obedience 4-H club and was active through high school as a member and as a junior leader.
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