Keeping pets safe on Valentine’s Day

While Valentine’s Day can be a special occasion for humans, you wouldn’t want your pets to get injured or sick due to some special gifts.

On the latest “Pet Pals TV,” host Patty Spitler was joined by Tom Dock, the communications manager for Noah’s Animal Hospitals, to talk about what to watch out for when it comes to Valentine’s Day and pets.

Dock says popular gifts, such as chocolate and flowers, can pose deadly risks to dogs and cats.

While many gifts like candy and flowers are popular alternatives to expensive jewelry, they often contain substances that are toxic to household animals.

If your pet does ingest some chocolate, Dock says the severity of poisoning depends on the specific type. Here’s Dock’s ranking of chocolate, from “easiest” to most dangerous.

• Milk chocolate

• Dark chocolate

• Baking chocolate

• Cocoa powder

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“Powder is the worst,” Dock said. “You’ve got caffeine in it, you’ve got theobromine and those can cause agitation in your dog and cause GI upset, so vomiting and diarrhea. It can also cause heart arrhythmia, which can be fatal, and it can also cause seizures.”