CLEVELAND, OH (February 12, 2016) – This time of year, you may plan on buying chocolates and wine for that special someone in your life, but not everyone should be given those treats. It is important to be aware of what Valentine’s Day staples are within your pet’s reach this weekend.
While enjoying all of the romance of the holiday, keep in mind your other loves – your pets. Many things we commonly associate with Valentine’s Day can prove to be very dangerous for your furry friends.
Here are some tips that will help you keep your pets safe this holiday weekend:
• Hide your chocolates. All forms of chocolate are toxic to pets – especially dark and baking chocolate. If ingested, it can cause vomiting, diarrhea, panting, excessive thirst and urination, hyperactivity, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, seizures and even death.
• Keep candies containing artificial sweetener Xylitol out of the way. Xylitol can be found in gum, candy and many baked goods and can be toxic to pets. It can cause an insulin release leading to liver failure. It can also cause vomiting, lethargy and loss of coordination which could progress to seizures.
• Never leave alcoholic drinks unattended where pets can reach them. Alcoholic beverages have the potential to poison pets. If ingested, the animal could become very intoxicated and weak, severely depressed or could go into a coma. Death from respiratory failure is also a possibility in severe cases.
• Always keep matches out of your pets’ reach. Certain types of matches contain chlorates, which could potentially damage blood cells and result in difficulty breathing—or even kidney disease in severe cases.
• Be aware of what flowers are in your arrangements. Especially when sending flowers to someone with a cat, make sure it does not contain lilies or other dangerous flowers. These flowers can cause lethargy, vomiting or diarrhea if ingested. Also be sure to keep pets away from roses – injuries caused by their thorns can result in serious infection.
• Clean up wrapping papers and balloons. If your pet decides to chew on them, these items may get lodged in their throats or digestive track causing them to choke or vomit.
Reference: https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/general-pet-care/valentines-day-safety-tips
