Spring has sprung so that means warmer weather and nicer walks and fun times for you and your canine companion. Unfortunately the spring time brings some hidden dangers for your beloved pooch so here are a couple of things to be aware of:

Easter Chocolate

With Easter just gone there is a lot of chocolate in the house for most families. Did you know that chocolate is highly poisonous to dogs? Depending on the amount of cocoa solids they eat they could be looking at serious illness and that means a vets bill for you too! The effects of the poison cause restlessness, drooling and difficulty standing or walking. As the syndrome progresses, eventually, the dog may develop convulsions and die. This is why it is vital never to allow your dog to eat chocolate. Please remember to supervise children with Easter eggs and make sure eggs are stored out of reach of your dog. If you suspect your dog has eaten any chocolate telephone your vet immediately for advice. Simply giving a drug to cause vomiting and a special medication to line the stomach to prevent further absorption could save your dogs life!

Wasp & Bee Stings

Wasp and bees will also be starting to appear and this can make a fun game for your dog in the garden when they land in your flower bed! Dogs love to chase and catch flying objects including insects and a sting in the mouth can be quite dangerous if the tongue swells in the mouth causing blocking of the airways. It’s a good idea to discourage your dog from getting into this habit and teach him to ignore flying insects by keeping him on the lead and praise him when something flies by and he does not snap at it. Tell him ‘good’ and give him a tasty treat straight away as a reward. If you suspect your dog has been stung again telephone your vet straight away for advice. If you see a sting in the skin it is better to scratch the sting across ways with your nail than to use tweezers or a pinching action as this actually releases more poison. Bicarbonate of soda neutralizes bee stings and vinegar neutralizes wasp stings so if you know for sure which insect was the offender you can try applying one of these to the affected area to calm the effects.