You spent all year planning your Valentine’s Day date. You’ve got the perfect outfit, an impressive restaurant reservation, and even a little something special for dessert. But did you take into account how this holiday can be toxic to your pets? Although it’s not as bad as its reputation suggests, Valentine’s Day does come with its own set of dangers—one that may be lurking in your bouquet or chocolate box right now!
Plants are not food!
Some flowers are toxic to cats and dogs, so it’s important to keep them away from your Valentine’s Day bouquets. Ingestion or contact with these flowers may lead to a pet emergency! Here are some of the most common toxic flowers:
- Amaryllis
- Autumn Crocus
- Azaleas
- Carnations
- Cyclamen
- Daffodils
- Daisies
- Gardenias
- Lavender
- Lilies
- Mums
- Oleander
- Ranunculus
- Tulips
Chocolate is dangerous
Chocolate is toxic to dogs and cats. It contains caffeine, theobromine, and phenylethylamine which are all stimulants that can cause vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, and even death if ingested by your pet. It may also cause an allergic reaction in some animals.
If you have children at home who want to give their pets a treat on Valentine’s Day or any other day of the year, please make sure they know how dangerous chocolate can be for their furry friends!
Xyli-what?
Xylitol is a sugar substitute that’s found in many gums, candies, mints, and sugar-free foods. It can cause liver failure in pets. The most common way to expose your pet to xylitol is by giving them food containing it.
If you have children who enjoy chewing gum or eating candy on Valentine’s Day or any other day, make sure they don’t share with their furry friends!
Stuffed animals may be cuddly but…
Your pets are likely to be extra affectionate during this time of year, but stuffed animals could pose a danger. While they may seem like food, they’re not–and if your pet were to swallow one, it could cause choking or gastrointestinal obstruction. To keep your furry friend safe from ingesting these toys, make sure that you store them out of reach or when your children are not supervised while playing with them.
Alcohol is not for pets!
If you’re a pet parent, please remember that alcohol is toxic to pets and can easily kill them if they ingest it. If your dog or cat drinks beer or wine while you’re away from home, contact your veterinarian immediately as there are treatments available that can help save their lives if administered quickly enough (but not always).
We know you love your dog or cat, and they’re part of the family. But alcohol can be dangerous to them–and even if it doesn’t kill them, it could make them very sick. Understandably, many people think that because dogs have been drinking milk from mamas’ teats since time immemorial and cats eat birds and mice all day long (and sometimes even drink milk), then any amount of alcohol wouldn’t hurt them too much–but that’s just not true!
People often assume that because our furry friends are so small compared with humans, they’ll only feel the effects from drinking in smaller doses than we would have experienced; however, this assumption couldn’t be further from reality! Just because something looks like less doesn’t mean it should be consumed more liberally; after all who would drink more water than they need just because there was plenty available?
Furthermore, while some animals may seem unaffected by alcohol consumption at first glance there are still many reasons why no one should ever give an animal any kind of alcoholic beverage – especially during Valentine’s Day celebrations when everyone else around us might be doing so too!
Conclusion
We hope that you’ve enjoyed learning about these toxins and dangers and how they can harm your pets. We know it can be scary to think about all of the things that are in our food, toys, and other products, but we also want you to know that there are ways we can protect our furry friends from these dangers!
Need help?
Has your pet ingested one of these toxins? Visit ASPCA or Pet Poison Helpline and contact your local veterinarian!
If you’re worried that your pet has ingested a foreign object, contact your local veterinarian!
