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Is Your Pet Safe This Easter?

VetLand Hospital & Emergency Apr 14, 2025 2:41:46 PM

Your Emergency Vet’s Top Tips for a Stress-Free Holiday

Easter is full of family time, long lunches, and chocolate eggs—but for your pet, it can also bring unexpected dangers. At VetLand Hospital & Emergency, Easter is one of the busiest times of the year.

Many of the cases we treat are preventable. Here’s how to enjoy the holiday safely with your furry family.

Dog calmly sitting while receiving a pre-boarding vaccination from a vet before the Easter holidays.

1. Travel Smart—Protect Your Pet in the Car

Before you hit the road, make sure your pet is properly restrained. By law, they must be in a secured crate or wearing a pet seatbelt harness. Unrestrained pets are at higher risk of injury in a crash and can cause accidents.

And always know where the nearest emergency vet is, especially if you’re travelling away from home. A quick Google search now could save precious minutes later.

2. Tick and Flea Protection Is a Must

April is still thriving tick and snake season in many areas. Don’t take the risk—ensure your pet is protected before you go bush or coastal.

Ensure your pet is current with their Flea and Tick preventatives, these can be administered monthly as an oral or topical, or even yearly as an injection. Not all products are water-safe or suitable for every pet, so speak to your vet before applying anything new.

3. Keep Dangerous Foods Away

We know it’s tempting to share—but many Easter foods can land your pet in the ER.

Chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine—both toxic to pets.
Hot cross buns have raisins or sultanas, which can cause fatal kidney failure in dogs even in low numbers.
Fatty meats, pork, and ham can trigger gut issues, including haemorrhagic diarrhoea and pancreatitis, watch out for these during Easter barbecues.

If you're hosting or attending a barbecue, remind family and friends not to feed scraps to your pet. Reserve plain, lean meats like chicken or turkey (no seasoning, no fat) and safe vegetables like carrots or beans if you'd like them to have a special treat, in moderation.

4. Beware the Basket

Children’s Easter baskets are filled with dangers—especially for curious noses.

Sugar-free lollies (sweetened with xylitol or birch sugar) can dangerously drop your pet’s blood sugar.
Plastic grass, foil wrappers, and plastic eggs have certainly caused gastric blockages in the past.

Keep Easter baskets high and out of reach, and monitor children to ensure they’re not unintentionally sharing their Easter goodies.

5. Watch Out for Toxic Plants

Lilies are among the most super toxic plants for cats—just brushing against the pollen can lead to kidney failure.

Play it safe and keep lillies out of the house all together.

6. Book Vaccinations Before Boarding

If your pet is staying in a kennel or cattery over the holiday, check that their vaccinations are up to date. Boarding environments can expose pets to community-acquired illnesses like canine cough and feline respiratory viruses.

The Vetland team checked a dog in an emergency centre after the pet became ill far from home during Easter.