Monday, April 01, 2019

Easter Blog 2019


Written by Vet Assistant, Danielle & Dr. Gloria Ku

Rover is lying down on his favorite blanket, watching his family enjoy the sunshine outside.  The children are running around, finding colorful ballsRover knows he will get in trouble if he tries to take one of the balls but he doesnt know what is so special about them.  Time passes and suddenly, the hustle and bustle of the day is quieter.  Rover comes across a basket that was forgotten inside the housecandy wrappers and jelly beans hide beneath the plastic green stuff.  With no one watching him, Rover dives into the basket, happily finally getting the chance to have his own colorful ball all to himself!

Its a wonderful time to have family and friends over to celebrate Easter.  Whether its going to a church event or having fun at your neighborhood park, most Easter celebrations might include an egg hunt, baskets of goodies, and chocolate treats.

 
One helpful command for dogs to learn is the leave itcommand.  Often times, our pets get into trouble when we are not looking, but there are times when we see them perform an act unwanted.  Such as picking up a plastic egg with chocolate in it and trying to eat it.

There are many techniques that can help with training the leave itcommand.  Here are links for 2 styles of training:




We asked Dr. Gloria Ku to answer these following questions:

Pets eating the grassin Easter baskets: Why would it be bad for them to eat the plastic?  Do you recommend using the paper grass instead?

"Paper grass is preferable to plastic mainly because plastic doesn’t breakdown and can more easily cause an obstruction or possible string entanglement of bowel.  With paper, be mindful of dyes used to color the material as well, but it is best if your pet does not consume any of it!"

We know that dogs can swallow tennis balls...can a dog safely digest an egg if they eat it whole?

"Haha, a dog may be able to swallow a lot of things, but that doesn’t mean they can pass them!  Depending on the size of the dog, he or she may be able to digest a hard boiled egg, but if the shell is particularly firm and has not been broken, they may not be able to break it down, especially if they are able to swallow it whole!

Photo Credit: Lisa, RVT (Hooper & Rubicon)
And of course, chocolate eggs can be toxic depending on the size of your dog as well as how much actual cocoa is present.  The sugar and fat associated with a lot of chocolate treats are also prone to causing gastroenteritis, otherwise known as vomiting and diarrhea.  Be aware that your dog’s nose is very good and sniffing out hidden eggs that children and adults may have overlooked.  Please keep track of where and the number of treats hidden so that your four legged friend doesn’t find them later…

With the necessary precautions in place, Happy egg hunting!!"

And just a friendly reminder, if youre thinking of buying a bunny for Easter, please consider adopting—not shopping.  Each year, many bunnies are sent to the shelters after the holiday because pet owners arent aware of how much care little bunnies will need or children get tired of taking care of a bunny and the responsibility fall back onto the parents.  Just like cats and dogs, all creatures we take in as pets need specific care and attention.  


To find out what kind of responsibility is needed for rabbit care, click this link:  https://myhouserabbit.com/rabbit-care/care-pet-rabbit

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