For millions of families, the celebration of Easter includes Easter baskets filled with sweet treats galore chocolate bunnies, marshmallow chicks, sugary jelly beans and snack-size versions of nearly every candy product imaginable.
As parents, we often warn our children Now dont eat too much or youll make yourself sick. At worst, a child who stuffs him or herself with chocolate may develop nausea and a stomachache.
But for our furry friends who get into the Easter goodies, getting sick may be the least of it. Many of the sweet treats mentioned above can actually be fatal to dogs, cats and other small animals (such as ferrets.)
As responsible pet owners, its our job to protect our pets from harm. And though pet owners routinely give their companion animals human food, this is almost always a mistake.
Yes, many pets prefer to eat what we eat. Yes, household pets (especially dogs) really like sweet, sugary foods. And yes, it feels good to pamper Fido or Fluffy by giving them just a little taste of what were having for su pper. But many of the foods that humans enjoy can not only cause illness for your beloved dog or cat, they can even be fatal. And...