Keep Your Pets Safe During Easter

Here at Chicago Real Estate Forum, we consider our pets family. And we know that plenty of you do  too.

While Fluffy and Spot may really want to know what the Easter bunny hid in your children’s Easter baskets, it is important that they kept their precious little noses (and mouths!) out of seasonal items like Easter lilies and giant baskets filled with chocolate and plastic eggs and grass.

Ensure the holiday is safe and fun for the entire family (including your four-legged, furry members) by taking a few simple precautions to keep potentially harmful items out of your pets’ reach.

The Georgia Veterinary Medical Association (GVMA) recommends pet owners take the following safety measures to keep their pets safe this Easter:

• During Easter week, calls to Pet Poison Helplines regarding accidental chocolate ingestion increase by up to 200%! Keep chocolate bunnies and other chocolate goodies out of reach to cats, dogs and ferrets. Chocolate can be fatal to these animals. A good rule of thumb with chocolate is the darker and more bitter the chocolate, the more dangerous it can be.

• While Easter lilies can make for a beautiful Easter dinner centerpiece or mantelpiece, they are highly poisonous and can be fatal if ingested, so keep them out of reach of pets.

• Colorful plastic grass and plastic eggs can cause an obstructed digestive tract, severe vomiting and dehydration, if swallowed, so keep these away from pets as well.

• Never buy live bunnies, chicks or other festive animals. While they are super cute little babies, they grow up fast and need constant, specialized care and a dedicated space to live and grow, like well-constructed and maintained houses, pens or hutches.

• These pets can also carry bacteria like salmonella and E. coli, which can cause serious diarrhea and even death to the young children that handle them.

• Lastly, never give a pet as a surprise gift. Owning a pet is a huge responsibility. Vet bills, food and medicine are expensive. Giving a pet the care and attention it needs is a lot of work. Don’t burden someone with such responsibility before making sure that they really want to take on that responsibility.

Keeping our pets safe in their Chicago homes will keep them happy and healthy. Follow these helpful reminders and take your pets to regular wellness exams and check-ups at your veterinarian. If they do happen to accidentally ingest a poisonous substance, immediately contact your veterinarian.  Happy Easter!

About The Author

Read All Stories By Mitch Levinson

Mitch Levinson is the author of “Internet Marketing: The Key to Increased New Home Sales” published by BuilderBooks. He is an Internet marketing expert with expertise in search engine optimization, website development, email marketing, social media and CRM consulting services. He is known for creating effective programs that can be tracked through analytics to prove effectiveness and ROI. Mitch is founder and president of MLC New Home Marketing and MLC FlatFee Realty, as well as managing partner of mRELEVANCE, LLC, a Marketing, Communication, Interactive agency with offices in Chicago and Atlanta. He currently leads the Chicago team. A Multi-Million Dollar Sales Producer who earned an MBA in Computer Information Systems and eCommerce, he brings a unique perspective and experience to the field of real estate communications. Mitch combines the two interests in order to help home builders and developers gain a competitive advantage through the Internet and technology. When he isn’t behind a computer, he enjoys participating in sports and coaching his kids’ teams. Mitch resides in Arlington Heights, Ill., a northwest suburb of Chicago, with his family, which includes two rambunctious labs. Visit my Google+ profile.