Easter's Double Chocolate and Fruit Danger for Pets

Novice pet owners entering their first Easter break with new furry family members that arrived at Christmas need to be mindful of a deadly double danger: chocolate and fruit, and potentially massive vet bills for life-saving treatment.

Chocolate and fruit poisoning can easily cost £1,000, not just for the initial emergency treatment, but longer-term medication for organ damage.

"Pets, particularly dogs, that arrived in new homes at Christmas are entering that most mischievous of ages - around six months old - when everything has to be taste-tested," said Mark Effenberg, founder of www.healthy-pets.co.uk cat insurance and dog insurance, and 'parent' to one-eyed retriever Deputy Dawg.

"Chocolate and fruit in Easter gifts can be fatal if eaten by most domestic cats and dogs - but it's the shape and packaging of Easter Eggs that make them particularly dangerous: both cats and dogs love tearing up cardboard, but chocolate eggs that end up rolling around become not just toys but prey, too," he added.

"Treatment can cost hundreds or even thousands of pounds, and the damage to pets’ internal organs can be permanent even if they recover from the initial poisoning.