David Jones, store manager of Pets At Home Swindon Bridgemead, writes about the dangers of chocolate

With lots of yummy Easter eggs filling our homes around this time of year, you’re bound to be tucking into some delicious chocolate treats.

However, we just want to gently remind pet owners that chocolate is dangerous for our beloved pets.

Although it may seem tempting, it is important not to feed your pet any chocolate over the Easter period – or throughout the rest of the year.

Chocolate contains a substance called theobramine, a form of stimulant that can be toxic to pets such as dogs, cats and horses.

The side effects of your pet ingesting even the tiniest morsel of chocolate can make your four-legged friend very poorly, causing diarrhoea, vomiting, panting, dehydration and digestive problems.

In more severe cases it can even cause a rapid heart rate in our pets which can lead to a seizure, or could be fatal.

Our Pets at Home store is stocking many types of treats, including pet-friendly chocolate eggs and biscuits, so your furry friend doesn’t miss out on the Easter fun. Happy Easter!