Love and romance fill the air this time of year, as we exchange gifts of flowers and chocolates for our loved ones.
Showing our love through gifts is a tradition that many follow.
However, our pets can not enjoy the same treats that we can. Certain flowers and ALL chocolate are very harmful to your pet and can even cause death in some cases. But there are many treats that we can give that show our love just as much.
Chocolate:
Melts in your mouth, not theirs! Chocolate can contain high amounts of fat and caffeine-like stimulants known as methylxanthines.
If ingested in significant amounts, chocolate can potentially produce clinical effects in dogs ranging from vomiting and diarrhea to panting, excessive thirst and urination, hyperactivity, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, seizures and even death in severe cases.
Typically, the darker the chocolate, the higher the potential for clinical problems from methylxanthine poisoning. White chocolate has the lowest methylxanthine content while baking chocolate contains the highest. As as little as 4 ounces of milk chocolate—or only 0.5 oz of baking chocolate—can cause serious problems in a 10-pound dog.
While white chocolate may not have the same potential as darker forms to cause a methylxanthine poisoning — the high fat content of lighter chocolates could still lead to vomiting and diarrhea, as well as the possible development of life-threatening pancreatitis (an inflammatory condition of the pancreas).
Flowers:
Many pet owners are still unaware that all species of lily are potentially fatal to cats.
Examples of some of these dangerous lilies include:
- the tiger,
- day,
- Asiatic hybrid,
- Easter,
- Japanese Show,
- rubrum,
- stargazer,
- red,
- Western, and
- wood lilies.
All are highly toxic to cats!
Even small ingestions (such as 2-3 petals or leaves) – or the pollen or water from the vase – can result in severe, acute kidney failure.
Make sure to keep all cats away from lilies at all times!
If sending flowers to someone with kitties, please remember to request that there are no lilies in the arrangement.
Other types of dangerous lilies include lily of the valley. This type does not cause kidney failure but can cause life-threatening heart arrhythmias and death when ingested by dogs or cats.
Sugar-Free Candy:
Sugar-free candies and gums often contain large amounts of xylitol, a sweetener that is toxic to pets, especially dogs. If ingested, it may cause vomiting, loss of coordination, seizures, and in severe cases, liver failure.
All candy, whether they contain sweeteners or sugars, are harmful to your pet! Please keep all candy in a sealed container out of your pet’s reach. (I keep mine on top of my fridge!)
Valentines Day for your Furbaby:
There are many healthy brands of treats that you can choose to give your pets. The correct brand and treat for you and your pet will depend on the type of treat you need.
My Top three brands are Merrick, Earthborn, and Wellness. These are grain free treats that are healthier for your pet. Some brands such as Old Mother Hubbard come out with special treats just for Valentines Day. Some pet stores even carry Valentine cookies with Carob which is a safe chocolate-like alternative.
Our amazing fur babies give us an unconditional love that last forever. Don’t forget to show them how much you love them by treating them with a special snack and extra love and snuggles. We love our pets! They deserve the best! Happy Valentines Day!
What’s your pet’s favorite treat?
Audie’s Angels
Audrey Lohrey-Owner
