Dog owners warned to lock up their Easter eggs to avoid disaster

Video: 568 dogs were treated for chocolate poisoning in 2014

(Manny Ceneta | Getty Images)

The Easter weekend is a time when many will release a huge sigh of relief, patting themselves on the back as they finish six weeks of giving up whatever craving they usually can't control.

Thus, many will celebrate by tucking into a fair number of chocolate Easter eggs - and many will be unaware of the trouble they could cause their dogs if any stray shavings fall into the path of their canine.

There have been many stories about dogs coming close to death: in 2009, a dog called Buster ate a secret stash of 12 eggs and was rushed to the vets and fortunately saved. In 2013, Sally Riella returned to her home in Cardiff to discover that her dog, Poppy, had eaten all the chocolate eggs in her shopping. It took Poppy two days to recover.

Watch the video below to find out more.

If you are a dog owner, remember to hide your chocolate goods this weekend.