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Pet owners need to hide their chocolate stash where their pets can鈥檛 reach it and keep their dogs secured on a non-extendable lead while setting up or conducting an Easter egg hunt. Do not be tempted to offer chocolate as a treat or a special occasion present.

鈥淚t鈥檚 important to keep your pets safe from chocolate over Easter,鈥� says Dr聽Anne Quain, clinical vet and lecturer in the Sydney School of Veterinary Science at the University of Sydney.

鈥淒espite efforts to inform owners about the risks of chocolate ingestion, particularly over the Easter period, we still see plenty of animals - especially dogs - for chocolate ingestion.聽Even owners who are aware of the risks are not always aware how motivated their animals are to find and eat chocolate.鈥�

鈥淐hocolate contains caffeine and theobromine, both toxic to pets. The darker the chocolate, the more toxic to pets. A lot of gourmet and vegan chocolates are even more toxic to dogs because of their higher chocolate content,鈥� said Dr聽Quain.

Dr Quain said dogs are more likely to be victims of chocolate toxicity because 鈥渢hey are great at sniffing chocolate out, and they are highly food motivated.鈥�

Signs of chocolate toxicity range from vomiting and diarrhoea to seizures and collapse. Some animals die from toxicity.

Chocolate should not be given to cats, rabbits, guinea pigs or other household pets, either. 鈥淚 have seen a rabbit with an intestinal obstruction due to eating a wrapped chocolate.鈥�

Chocolate is high in fat, and fatty foods can trigger gastrointestinal upsets, as well as pancreatitis, in dogs and cats. Signs of pancreatitis include reduced appetite, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhoea. Pancreatitis causes a spectrum of illness ranging from mild to life-threatening.

鈥淎nimals don't show immediate signs of illness after eating chocolate - usually the reason that owners bring them in is because they have read or heard somewhere that chocolate is bad for pets,鈥� said Dr Quain.

Keep your dog safe:

• If your dog steals an Easter egg, ask it to 鈥渄rop it鈥�.
• If they swallow the egg (or any chocolate), ring your vet.
• Your vet will ask you to estimate your pet鈥檚 body weight.
• Know the time and the amount of chocolate your dog ate.
• Know the type of chocolate or recipe if the chocolate was in a baked good.
• Be aware that raisins, artificial sweeteners and alcohol in some baked goods are also toxic to pets.