Pets and holidays: April 2011 Archives

The veterinarians at the Pet Poison Helpline are reminding pet owners about some of the hazards to pets during the Easter season.

Here's one I really wasn't aware of:

"Unbeknownst to many pet owners, Easter lilies are highly toxic to cats," said Ahna Brutlag, DVM, assistant director at Pet Poison Helpline. "All parts of the Easter lily plant are poisonous -- the petals, the leaves, the stem and even the pollen. Cats that ingest as few as one or two leaves, or even a small amount of pollen while grooming their fur, can suffer severe kidney failure."

In most situations, symptoms of poisoning will develop within six to 12 hours of exposure. Early signs include vomiting, loss of appetite, lethargy and dehydration. Symptoms worsen as kidney failure develops. Some cats will experience disorientation, staggering and seizures.

"There is no effective antidote to counteract lily poisoning, so the sooner you can get your cat to the veterinarian, the better his chances of survival will be," said Brutlag. "If you see your cat licking or eating any part of an Easter lily, call your veterinarian or the Pet Poison Helpline immediately. If left untreated, his chances of survival are low."

Chocolate is another seasonal hazard, with the hotline saying calls about dogs poisoned by chocolate increase by nearly 200 percent during the week of Easter.

Find out more on the group's website.

Or check out the site's new "Ask-the-Vet" videos on keeping pets safe from toxins inside and outside the home.


The phone # is 800-213-6680 and there is a one-time $35 consultation fee per incident, which also covers followup calls.

The Palos Verdes/South Bay Audubon Society has issued a public awareness notice about that plastic Easter "grass" that comes in all the baskets and winds up in many Easter egg hunts.

It seems that the grass can be picked up by Bluebirds and other cavity nesters such as Tree

Swallows that build their nests out of grass.

They weave it into their nests, but the material can be dangerous to adults and chicks alike. Birds get tangled in the strong plastic grass and get trapped, unable to leave the nest to feed or fly away.





If you want to help spread the word about this little-known danger, here's how you can help:

Now in its third year, the Bluebird Nest Box Project has first-hand experience with this danger, especially in the spring. Our nest box monitors have continually removed strands that have been woven into the nests, as well as picked up and disposed of in clusters found on the ground.

This year, in an attempt to educate the public about this danger, we're working with the staff at Harbor (Ken Malloy - Regional) Park to get the word out. We've created an informational flier on poles and picnic tables, and the nest box monitors will be giving them to park visitors during our weekly nest box checks.

The flier is available on our website at:

http://pvsb-audubon.org/bluebirdproject.html or click here.

You can help by either passing the word to family and friends or by joining the group at Harbor Park to hand out fliers. Go to the website for contact information.

And if you see the plastic grass lying in a park or your yard, pick it up!

Here's another article on the topic.

Bluebirds are pictured below.