Chocolate is not the only harmful thing a dog can find in an Easter basket. Though it´s not as dangerous as chocolate bunnies, other candy, especially if eaten in large amounts, can also cause an upset stomach, vomiting and diarrhea.

Plastic Easter grass cannot be digested and it can cause intestinal damage. This is a big attraction with cats, but it can cause major problems for playful dogs too. Keep baskets with Easter grass out of reach to all your precious pets.

If you´re having a backyard Easter Egg hunt, use plastic eggs instead of hard boiled eggs to prevent another potential illness. Unfound hard-boiled eggs will spoil when left lying in the grass. Your dog will find them later! For just a small amount more than real eggs, plastic eggs can prevent a trip to the vet with a dog in distress.

Your dog probably won´t pay much attention to new Easter plants especially while you´re there. If your dog has separation anxiety, however, and you haven´t made the wise decision to buy a crate, keep Easter plants outside or way out of reach when you're not home. Tearing house plants apart is a common activity for nervous, lonely, uncrated dogs. Daffodil, Hyacinth and tulip bulbs are toxic, as well as Easter Lillies and Hydrangea plants.

Also, a word of caution, about another possible source of Theobromine poisoning. The danger of poisoning from Theobromine, the ingredient in chocolate that is toxcic to dogs, does not end with the chocolate candy or the baking chocolate inside your home. Pet owners should never use cocoa bean mulch in their flower beds or as garden fertilizer. "Cocoa Mulch", made from cocoa bean shells, contains potentially toxic quantities of Theobromine. Even if your dog has absolutely no interest in other types of garden mulch, cocoa mulch smells like chocolate and that smell attracts dogs. Dogs have died from eating cocoa mulch!

According to the ASPCA .... "Eaten by a 50-pound dog, about 2 ounces of cocoa bean mulch may cause gastrointestinal upset; about 4.5 ounces, increased heart rate; about 5.3 ounces, seizures; and over 9 ounces, death." For more information, see Cocoa Bean Mulch As A Cause Of Methylxanthine Toxicosis In Dogs

Now that Spring is here...
Warmer weather means that you and your dog will be spending more time outside. Make sure your dog is wearing a license. Check his ID tag to make sure your phone number hasn´t worn off and the tag is still readable. Are vaccinations up-to-date? Spending more time outdoors means possible contact with other dogs who might not be vaccinated.