Valentine’s Day is a day for love, love for one another and especially love for our furry friends. This holiday brings happiness. However, risks to our pets increase during this holiday.
According to the Pet Poison Helpline, poison ingestion cases including ingestion of milk chocolate, dark chocolate and chocolate baked goods are most prevalent during February. Our pets ingesting these particular toxins can have series consequences such as vomiting, diarrhea, seizures and even tachycardia. Please consult your Veterinarian for more information regarding chocolate ingestion or the Pet Poison Helpline.
Valentine’s Day is not only a day to celebrate love but a day for gift giving. Flower giving is a common practice for this day of love. For pet owner’s there are a few facts that are important to consider if there are pets in the home and have access to ingest this celebratory gift. Specifically, lily ingestion is highly toxic to felines. Ingesting just a little of a lily leaf can have detrimental effects on a feline’s health. This intake can result in symptoms such as vomiting, drooling, dehydration, and can even disrupt internal functioning such as kidney dysfunction. If you suspect that your pet has ingested your bouquet of flowers, please consult your Veterinarian or the pet poison helpline.
When it comes to gift giving, it is essential that we monitor our pets, especially when unwrapping holiday gifts. A beautiful gift is often wrapped with ribbons and strings; these beautiful wrappings are often of interest to our pets. If our pets ingest wrapping material, there are serious health concerns that will arise. Swallowing ribbon or strings will disrupt the internal functioning of our pets, such as this foreign material tangling with internal organs, foreign material causing rips and tears to internal organs, and foreign material stuck within the internal system that will prevent this material from being normally digested. Most often, if foreign material is ingested, surgery may be the only remedy to resolve this issue. Our pets more commonly will show signs and symptoms that will suggest foreign body ingestions; symptoms include straining to defecate or urinate, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, lack of appetite, abdominal pain and sensitivity, and even behavioural changes such as aggression. In some circumstances, a foreign object may partially pass through the digestive system with the foreign material visible at the hind end. If this occurs, it is strongly advised to not interfere with this visible material and head over to your nearest Veterinarian. If you have questions or concerns regarding Foreign material ingestion, please contact your Veterinarian or the Pet Poison Helpline.
Don’t forget that our pets are loved family members and deserve a gift for this special holiday. Some fun suggestions for holiday gifts include cuddly toys, treats, warm sweaters and blankets, enrichment products like the feline flower fountain or the KONG treat balls for canines! Please consult your Veterinarian for recommendations of health-specific treats if your pet has dietary restrictions or health concerns.
Please visit our website and sign up for our webstore for great holiday gift ideas that can be delivered right to your front door!
If you believe your pet has ingested something they shouldn’t don’t hesitate to call our hospital at 905-855 2100, we are open seven days a week, even on Christmas and Boxing Day!
