Halloween can be super fun for both you and your pet. So you make sure you both won’t be exposed to dangerous or uncomfortable situations and plan ahead. Below are some tips so you can prepare yourselves for Halloween:
Keep Candy and Chocolate Away from Pets
· Keep holiday treats and candies, out of your pet's reach as they can make your pet quite sick. If eaten, candy wrappers can cause an upset stomach. How can something so shiny be dangerous? They just are.
· Chocolate, particularly unsweetened, dark, bittersweet and baking chocolate, can be toxic to pets, especially dogs, who are more prone to eat it. If your dog eats chocolate, call your veterinarian or an animal poison control center, as treatment may need to be rendered immediately. Symptoms of toxicity include excitement, nervousness, trembling, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst or urination, muscle spasms and seizures. Don’t let you cat eat it either.
· Keep gum, candy or breath fresheners containing the sweetener xylitol away from your dog. When a dog eats even a small amount of xylitol, it causes a surge of insulin, and the animal's blood sugar may drop quickly and dangerously. Cases of liver damage have also been associated with ingestion of xylitol. If your dog does ingest xylitol, contact your veterinarian or an animal poison control center immediately.
Costumes May Not Be a Treat
· Some pets might not mind "dressing up" for Halloween, but, for others (nay, most), it could be a stressful experience best avoided.
· Costumes should fit properly and not hinder your pet's movement, vision or breathing.
· Check if your pet enjoys wearing a costume before you make him go through Halloween with it. Don’t force your pet to wear it. If he’s not enjoying it, he can get upset or angry and get hurt trying to get rid of it. Then you’ll have to come see us and we’ll laugh at you.
· If your pet does take to costumes (like ours – check our facebook page soon for our clinic cat pictorial!), make sure the one you choose doesn’t have small or hanging parts that can get him tangled or make him choke.
Keep Pets In When Trick-or-Treaters Are Out
· If you plan to participate in Halloween festivities, such as answering your door to trick-or-treaters, keep pets in a quiet part of the house. Pets can become overexcited, confused or frightened by trick-or-treaters in costume.
· Don’t forget to put a collar on your pet with an ID tag if you plan to open the door frequently for trick or treats. A tag may be your pet’s only chance to be identified and brought home if he darts outside when the door is open. Better yet, a good ‘trick’ is to tell your pooch he’s going to the park and instead bring him here for a microchip!
· If your pet is prone to escaping or isn’t social with visitors, close him in a room with food, water and a blanket during the trick or treat time. If you have a dog, don’t forget to take him out to do his business before you lock him. If you have a cat, you may want to place the litter box in the room with her...or you may get a trick and the dog might get a treat!
· If your pet doesn’t enjoy loud noises, sudden moves, strangers or crowds, leave your pet at home for Halloween. He may get scared and escape, or get angry and hurt someone or himself....Cujo was a scary movie.
Decorations Are Potential Tricks
· Halloween decorations such as fake cobwebs should be kept out of reach of pets.
· Glow sticks can be hazardous if chewed or ingested.
· Light strands, loose wires and electric cords can be a serious hazard to your pet, especially puppies, who may chew them.
· Never leave candles, such as those in jack-o-lanterns, unattended, especially around puppies and kittens.
· Never allow your pets to eat a leftover jack-o-lantern, as a rotted, moldy pumpkin can make them seriously ill.
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With the right tricks and treats, you and your pet can have a lot of fun together during Halloween. Boo!
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