Most certainly, you can devour a chocolate bunny, chocolate egg or any other chocolate treat over Easter.
But, do not let your dog have any chocolate whatsoever.
Chocolate is poison to dogs.
Dogs cannot metabolize the theobromine chemical found in the cocoa used to make chocolate.
So, even a small amount eaten by your pet can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, tremors, an irregular heartbeat and seizures.
No one wants canine puke, poop or sickness at their Easter egg hunt.
If you dog shows signs of being poisoned, get it to the veterinarian right away.
That probably means the specialized emergency vet that happens to be open on the Easter long weekend.
Pet accessories shop Fur King put out the 'dangerous foods for dogs' list in time to avert any Easter disasters.
"Dogs don't poison themselves on purpose. It's usually a human slip-up," said Fur King founder Tom Sadler.
"A well-meaning visitor handing over a piece of food, a drink left on a low table or a plate left unattended can be all it takes. People assume 'one bite won't hurt,' but that's exactly how serious cases start."
Accidents still happen, especially over the busy Easter weekend when you have company and kids (and dogs) running around.
If your dog gets into unattended chocolate -- including the treats you're hiding for the Easter egg hunt -- it can be a problem that requires vet attention.
Also, make sure to tell company and kids not to slip the dog any chocolate, even if they think they're being nice to the dog.
There are much better treats to give dogs -- such as those made specifically for dogs.
"Simple management goes a long way," said Fur King founder Tom Sadler.
"Keep food out of reach, brief guests not to give scraps and secure bins so dogs can't raid them."
The Fur King list of foods to keep away from your dog also includes alcohol (duh, dogs' livers can't process ethanol and causes rapid intoxication, vomiting and possible seizures and coma), grapes and raisins (they're toxic to dogs), cooked bones (splinter and puncture hazard), onion (damage red blood cells) and macadamia nuts (also toxic).
With Easter here, the pet care marketplace Rover also weighed in.
It, too, put chocolate at the top of the risk list for dogs, along with spring cleaning products, small batteries (like those button-shaped ones that tend to go in more things nowadays) and Easter flower arrangements with toxic lilies in them.
And remember, small dogs can get into trouble much quicker with much less quantity of toxic substance because they have that much less body mass.
Stay safe!
Happy Easter!
