Plea to not feed your pets chocolate this Easter
A local vet is warning about the risks of it
A vet from Salisbury is urging pet owners to not let them eat chocolate this Easter holiday.
With more treats usually being handed around at this time of the year, we are being reminded that it could have fatal consequences for our four legged friends.
Howard Taylor from The Vets on Exeter Street also wants us to be wary of other foods too.
He told Greatest Hits Radio:
"It's particularly toxic for the kidneys and so if we have chocolate ingested by dogs they can suffer kidney failure so we always recommend contacting a vet if you're concerned about your pet. There is a calculator available online and the local emergency vets now have a calculator on them and you put in the amount of chocolate you think the dog has eaten and the quality of the chocolate, the darker the chocolate and the higher the cocoa content the more dangerous it is.
We see these kinds of incidents quite often and of course they are serial offenders who seem to be able to get chocolate cakes out of cupboards and those again will depend on what they actually eat. What we would do is do the calculations and work out what to do, we generally err on the side of caution because if we get to it quickly we can get them to bring it all back up again.
The other thing, that is becoming more appreciated but was not appreciated until quite recently is raisins, currants and grapes we now think we know what is causing the poisoning there but it's something that will surprise people who at times have probably been giving currant biscuits or hot cross buns to their pets but it's not advised."
FORDINGBRIDGE DOG ALMOST LOST HIS LIFE
The warning has come after a Labradoodle from Fordingbridge was rushed to emergency vets with chocolate poisoning.
Bruce had eaten 12 Cadbury's Creme Eggs and several bars of dark chocolate.
His owner rushed him to the vets immediately was okay after treatment, however the surgeon has warned that it could have cost him his life.
COMMON INCIDENTS
Vets often see a spike in chocolate toxicity cases over celebratory periods such as Easter and Christmas.
With people and pets spending more time at home together due to Covid-19 restrictions, the British Veterinary Association says there is an increased risk with easy access to treats.
They did a survey of veterinary professionals, which found 80% of them saw at least one case of chocolate poisoning in the lead up to Easter 2019.
The BVA say the following are signs of chocolate toxicity:
"Dogs will usually start showing signs of chocolate toxicity within 12 hours, but symptoms can last for up to three days. Initially, pets are likely to experience excessive thirst, vomiting, diarrhoea and restlessness. These can develop into symptoms of hyperactivity, tremors, abnormal heart rate, hyperthermia and rapid breathing. Severe cases may result in fits and heartbeat irregularities, and even coma and death. If you notice these symptoms in your dog and suspect chocolate ingestion, seek veterinary advice as soon as possible."