Would you like to switch to the accessible version of this site?

Go to accessible site Close modal window

Don't need the accessible version of this site?

Hide the accessibility button Close modal window
Accessibility View Close toolbar
Blackhawk Veterinary Service

5548 Route 72 East

Byron, IL 61010 US

815-234-5424

Open mobile navigation
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Services
    • Meet Our Team
      • Dr. Julia Sugden, MRCVS
      • Dr. Kallie Kapitanek, DVM
      • Meet Our Staff
      • Dr. Kevin Sugden, MRCVS
  • New Patient Center
    • Online Forms
    • What to Expect
    • Veterinary Resources
    • Payment Options
  • Contact Us
  • Surgeries
  • Digital Radiography
  • Store
  • Pet Memorials
  • Petsimonials
  • Current Health Issues
  • As Your Pet's Age
  • Clinic Tour
  • Veterinary Topics
    • Pet Health
      • Chronic Conditions
      • Digestive and Oral Health
      • Diseases and Viruses
      • Pests and Parasites
      • Orthopedics
    • Today's Veterinarian
    • Choosing Your Pet
      • Cats
      • Dogs
      • Finding Your Pet
      • Exotics
        • Birds
        • Amphibians
        • Reptiles
          • Lizards
          • Turtles
      • Small Mammals
        • Ferrets
        • Rabbits
        • Pocket Pets
          • Hedgehogs
          • Chinchillas
          • Guinea Pigs
          • Rats
          • Hamsters
        • Domesticated Animals
          • Prairie Dogs
      • Livestock
        • Poultry
        • Goats
        • Pigs
        • Sheep
        • Cows
        • Donkeys, Horses & Mules
    • Living With Your Pet
      • Bringing Your Pet Home
      • Providing Care
      • Travel
      • Saying Goodbye
      • Children and Pets
    • Newsletter Library
      • Behavior & Training
      • Pet Dangers
      • Keeping Pets Healthy
      • Cats
      • Recognizing Illness
      • Nutrition & Food
      • Seasonal Topics
      • Fleas & Parasites
      • Visiting the Vet
      • Equine
      • Tips for Pet Owners
      • Newsletter Archive
        • Fun with Pets
        • Unbelievable Pets
    • Video Newsroom
      • Health Topics
      • Technology and Science
      • Other Interests
  • Home >
  • Articles >
  • Newsletter Library >
  • Seasonal Topics >
  • Spring Hazards

Spring Hazards

  • Created in Newsletter Library, Seasonal Topics
Image of a dog and cat in spring flowers.

Everyone looks forward to spring with its fresh air, colorful flowers, and sense of renewal. But there are many hazards associated with this season. We should always be on guard when it comes to our pets and potential dangers.
Many areas of the country have a problem with snails; people often put snail bait in their garden and flower beds. The most common snail bait contains metaldehyde that is very toxic to pets. Dogs will readily ingest it and will start to show symptoms in a few minutes to a few hours. Tremors and twitches can progress to seizures. One company manufactures Sluggo Slug and Snail Bait containing iron phosphate that is much safer for pets.

The Easter holiday can bring its own set of problems. Easter lilies in an arrangement of cut flowers or outside in the garden are very dangerous for cats. Ingesting even a small amount can cause kidney failure in cats. Early signs may be lethargy, drinking excessive amounts of water, and then not drinking enough, and a poor appetite. Signs of worsening kidney disease are vomiting, diarrhea, and eventually anemia.

Other Easter dangers include the plastic fake grass placed in baskets. Pets ingesting this can obstruct or the plastic grass can actually cut the intestine and cause peritonitis. Cats are especially prone to eating these linear foreign bodies. Symptoms are vomiting, lethargy, and not wanting to eat. Other items in those Easter baskets, such as chocolate, plastic eggs or toys, can also cause illness if ingested.

Warm weather that comes with spring also brings parasites, especially fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes. Fleas can carry tapeworms, cause allergies and skin problems, and in some areas of the country carry plague. Ticks can carry several diseases that can be transmitted to pets and people: Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Ehrlichia. Mosquitoes transmit heartworms to dogs and cats. All dogs and cats should be on a monthly heartworm preventative and monthly flea and tick control.

Some areas of the country have a problem with foxtails, a seedpod from a weed. These seedpods have very sharp barbs that can penetrate skin or the foxtail can migrate up nostrils, into ears, eyes, or any orifice. Once inside the body they can still migrate, even into the chest, abdomen, or brain. Signs include sneezing, draining tracts in the skin, shaking the head and ears, or squinting of an eye.

Spring brings many people into their yards and gardens. New landscaping materials can also be dangerous. There is a popular new product, cocoa bean mulch, which is a byproduct of chocolate production. It is attractive and has a great odor, unfortunately dogs also think it tastes great! It contains theobromine, and its ingestion causes methylxanthine toxicosis. Symptoms are vomiting, tremors, and increased heart rate, even seizures and death can occur.

When landscaping your yard, take into consideration if the plants can be toxic to pets. There are numerous plants that are poisonous, with a variety of toxins and symptoms. Many just cause mild symptoms such as drooling or an episode of vomiting, but some plants are very dangerous, for example oleander and sago palms, and can easily cause death if ingested. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center web site is a good source of information for all types of poisons and toxins.

  • Pet Health
    • Chronic Conditions
    • Digestive and Oral Health
    • Diseases and Viruses
    • Pests and Parasites
    • Orthopedics
  • Today's Veterinarian
  • Choosing Your Pet
    • Cats
    • Dogs
    • Finding Your Pet
    • Exotics
      • Birds
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
        • Lizards
        • Turtles
    • Small Mammals
      • Ferrets
      • Rabbits
      • Pocket Pets
        • Hedgehogs
        • Chinchillas
        • Guinea Pigs
        • Rats
        • Hamsters
      • Domesticated Animals
        • Prairie Dogs
    • Livestock
      • Poultry
      • Goats
      • Pigs
      • Sheep
      • Cows
      • Donkeys, Horses & Mules
  • Living With Your Pet
    • Bringing Your Pet Home
    • Providing Care
    • Travel
    • Saying Goodbye
    • Children and Pets
  • Newsletter Library
    • Behavior & Training
    • Pet Dangers
    • Keeping Pets Healthy
    • Cats
    • Recognizing Illness
    • Nutrition & Food
    • Seasonal Topics
    • Fleas & Parasites
    • Visiting the Vet
    • Equine
    • Tips for Pet Owners
    • Newsletter Archive
      • Fun with Pets
      • Unbelievable Pets
  • Video Newsroom
    • Health Topics
    • Technology and Science
    • Other Interests

Featured Links

Click to find out more

Office Hours

Our Regular Schedule

Byron Office Hours

Monday:

7:00 AM

5:00 PM

Tuesday:

7:00 AM

5:00 PM

Wednesday:

7:00 AM

5:00 pm

Thursday:

7:00 am

5:00 pm

Friday:

7:00 am

5:00 PM

Saturday:

7:00 am

Noon

Sunday:

Closed

Closed

Location

Find us on the map

Testimonial

Read What Our Clients Say

  • "We value our clients' experience at Blackhawk Veterinary Service. If your pet or animal is currently a patient, please feel free to complete the following Client Experience Questionnaire. The Questionnaire is in Adobe Acrobat format and requires the free Acrobat Reader to view."
    Dr. Julia Dr. Kevin Sugden

Featured Articles

Read about interesting topics

  • Sugar Gliders

    Thinking of getting a sugar glider? These tiny marsupials are energetic and friendly, making them popular choices as pets. Though they weigh less than a half-pound, they're more closely related to kangaroos than they are flying squirrels. If you think a sugar glider would make an ideal pet for your family, ...

    Read More
  • Prairie Dogs

    Prairie dogs are cute, affable creatures. But before taking one on as a pet, check your local laws. In some states, such as Colorado, it's illegal to keep prairie dogs as pets. Mostly, this is because they may spread monkeypox. If you live in a state that welcomes pet prairie dogs, be sure to buy from ...

    Read More
  • How to Help Your New Cat Feel Welcomed in Your Home

    Adopting a cat or kitten? Here's what you can do to help your cat adjust to its new home. ...

    Read More
  • Skunks

    Home and Veterinary Care for Pet Skunks If you're an adventurous pet owner, you may love exotic animals such as skunks. You'll be happy to learn that skunks can indeed make excellent domestic pets, but only if they receive the proper care to enjoy a happy, healthy life. Your veterinary team can help ...

    Read More
  • Flying Squirrels

    Much like sugar gliders, flying squirrels make affectionate pets when purchased young and raised by their owner. Unlike sugar gliders, however, flying squirrels are rodents that need veterinary care specific to the species. Your veterinary team can help with the care and treatment of flying squirrels. ...

    Read More
  • Fennec Foxes

    Fennec Fox Care Guide With oversized ears and mischievous faces, fennec foxes are cute as can be. But these exotic pets require a lot of care to stay healthy and happy. Health At just three pounds, fennec foxes are the smallest member of the fox family. Native to the Sahara desert, fennec foxes are ...

    Read More
  • Fish

    If you’re thinking of getting a pet fish, you should know that your veterinarian has a lot of good advice about pet ownership. Fish can be very rewarding as pets, and you just may be surprised about how much fish actually interact with their owners. Here’s more valuable information about choosing ...

    Read More
  • Snakes

    If you’re looking for a low-maintenance pet, then you might be interested in owning a snake. However, there are a few aspects of owning a snake that you need to be aware of before you make this type of commitment. Here’s what you need to know. What to Know Before Choosing a Pet Snake Before you purchase ...

    Read More
  • Domestic Pigs

    Pigs are great for families who want a relatively exotic but easy to care for a pet. Whether miniature, like a pot-bellied pig, or a full-sized animal, caring for a pig is similar to caring for a cat or dog. Health Domestic pigs need to see a veterinarian regularly for vaccinations and checkups. We ...

    Read More
  • Gerbils

    Gerbils are great little pets for pet owners who don't have room for a dog or cat. They're friendly and fun to watch, but they do take a moderate level of care and investment. If you're thinking of getting a gerbil, here's what you'll need to know to keep him happy and healthy, including giving him a ...

    Read More

Newsletter Signup

Sign up for more articles

Connect With Us

  • Copyright © 2021 MH Sub I, LLC dba iMatrix.
  • Admin Log In
  • Site Map