Valentine’s Day dangers for pets

vomiting, diarrhoea, lack of appetite, stomach pain, depression, difficulty swallowing, kidney damage, kidney failure, multiple organ failure, If you are unsure of the flowers in your bouquet, there are many apps and websites with pictures of common flowers.

may not be a problem, in cats 5 g/kg or more and in dogs 15 g/kg or more of onions has resultant in clinically significant hematologic changes.

By Kellie Tic K ner, Orchard

WhIlST chocolate and flowers are traditionally considered romantic Valentine’s Day traditions, our pets who nibble on their owner’s gifts definitely will not be feeling the love.

Every special day on our calendar can bring a range of dangers for our pets.

Flowers – Roses are certainly the iconic flower of Valentine’s Day, but mixed bouquets are also common. Unfortunately, lilies that can cause acute kidney injury in cats (lillium sp. or hemerocallis sp.) are commonly used in mixed bouquets. Symptoms of lily toxicity include

Chocolate – After Christmas and Easter, Valentine’s Day brings a wave of chocolate toxicities into the clinic. Chocolate is toxic because it contains a chemical called theobromine, as well as caffeine. Theobromine is the predominant toxin in chocolate and is very similar to caffeine. Both chemicals are also used medicinally as a diuretic, heart stimulant, blood vessel dilator, and a smooth muscle relaxant. Dogs cannot metabolize theobromine and caffeine as well as people can. This makes them more sensitive to the chemicals’ effects.

Onion & Garlic – A romantic meal for two sounds like the perfect idea for Valentine’s Day, at least until your cat jumps on the counter and starts eating the diced onion. Whilst one bite

Orchard hills

Veterinary hOspital

Alcohol - What goes better with a good meal than a glass of wine? While the grapes in wine have not proven to be an issue for dogs, the alcohol certainly could cause problems for them.

Chewing Gum – Gum containing xylitol may be a good bad-breath cure, but it’s also one of the most common sources of xylitol toxicity for dogs. For dogs, xylitol ingestion can lead to seizures or even death, so it’s important to contact your vet immediately.

String and Ribbon – Cats love string and ribbon toys to bat around and carry in their mouths but swallowed ribbon and string can get caught in their stomach and intestines, requiring emergency surgery. To avoid this life-threatening situation, always monitor cats when they are playing with these types of toys.

Bath Bombs – Certain scented bath products like soaps, bath bombs and other objects that smell good enough to eat may encourage your dog to do just that! Whilst scented products are usually deliberately designed to taste bitter and unappealing to keep children from eating them, as anyone who owns a curious puppy will tell you, some dogs eat first and think later. Bath products and soap are unlikely to prove poisonous to your dog, but they will potentially give them a short bout of stomach problems, including diarrhoea and vomiting.

If your dog has not been vaccinated in the last 12 months, we would recommend a visit to your veterinarian. To protect your dog from this deadly disease, call Orchard hills Veterinary hospital on (02) 47 362 027.