The days are longer and the sun is coming out, marking the beginning of spring. However, while this is a lovely time of the year to take your personal protection dogs on a nice long walk, pet owners have been warned of the dangers of doing so.
Direct Line’s Pet Insurance has urged people to be wary of their canines eating spring bulbs, as they can be very harmful.
Daffodil, amaryllis and hyacinth bulbs can result in vomiting and diarrhoea, and can even be fatal if left untreated.
Some protection dogs also suffer from skin problems by being in contact with plants, with boxers, retrievers and west highland white terriers more susceptible to conditions such as dermatitis.
Prit Powar, head of Pet Insurance at Direct Line, said: “It’s impossible to keep an eye on your dog all the time, especially when they’re off the lead, but if you’re at all concerned that they’ve eaten a bulb, or something they shouldn’t have, take them to the vet immediately just to be on the safe side.”
Pet owners were also warned of the perils of allowing pooches, including those on residential dog training courses, to eat some of our tasty Easter foods. While 99 per cent of vets acknowledge chocolate as being the most common food that harms dogs, raisins – found in hot cross buns and Simnel cake – can also be damaging.
The dried grapes can result in kidney failure in dogs, according to 81 per cent of vets, and should not be left out for them to consume.
A recent survey from Dogs Trust revealed five per cent of pooches that have eaten chocolate became seriously ill, with 15 per cent of these needing emergency veterinary treatment. Therefore, it urges dog owners not to feed their leftover chocolate to their four-legged friends following the Easter break.