It’s that time of the year for costumes, candy, and trick-or-treating. Princesses, superheroes, and supervillains will descend to neighborhood homes for sugar, sugar, and more sugar. Halloween is a fun time for people of all ages; your dog or cat most likely has a different opinion.
High Energy All-Around
Constant knocking, doorbells, people coming and going, and the ever-scary masks rain down on their house in a matter of hours. Not to mention, the word treat gets thrown around like candy. It’s a very confusing time for a pet who doesn’t understand the strange ritual.
While some pets handle the festivities better than others, be aware that there are some dangers that even the most blasé pet may find themselves in.
Chocolate isn’t for pets
The fact that chocolate isn’t safe for pets to eat is fairly well-known. However, the notable increase of chocolate available in the home substantially increases the chances that your dog or cat may partake in the night’s bounty. The amount of chocolate that is dangerous to a cat or dog is going to vary due to the types of chocolate, their size, and if they have any other underlying medical issues.
Symptoms your pet will display if they have eaten a toxic level of chocolate:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Hyperactivity
- Increase in drinking water
- Increased urination
- Increased heart rate or arrhythmias
- Tremors
- Seizures
Artificial Sweeteners are toxic for pets
We are talking about xylitol, an artificial sweetener commonly found in toothpaste, mouthwash, and gum. Some candies use xylitol as a sugar substitute, such as sugar-free candy, mints, puddings, and Jell-O. These types of treats should always be kept out of reach of all pets in the house.
Symptoms of xylitol poisoning are:
- Dizziness
- Weakness
- Vomiting
- Seizures
- Possible liver failure
Decorations can be a problem
Regardless if your Halloween decorations are cheerful and fun or scary and gory to your dog or cat, they are a foreign presence. Especially the animated decorations. If your fur baby decides to take down the decorations themselves, they are at risk of choking or ingesting objects that can’t be metabolized. For decorations that are corded, your pet could be electrocuted.
If you suspect your pet has gotten into something, he or she shouldn’t have, contact your veterinarian right away, especially if it’s an artificial sweetener. Small amounts of the chemical are extremely dangerous and have to be addressed right away.
Tips to keep your pet safe during Halloween
- If this is your dog or cat’s first or second Halloween, be sure to keep an extra vigilant eye on your furry family member and have a backup plan if they get too scared over the commotion.
- Use battery-powered candles for your pumpkins instead of the real thing. Even if your pet isn’t interested in candles, they can still inadvertently knock over a real candle and start all kinds of trouble for you.
- If you own a black cat, keep them indoors a full week and the night of Halloween. Black cats too often fall victim to pranksters.
- Keep costumes and make-up out of reach of your pets.
- Candy wrappers can be a choking risk to pets, so keep them out of reach and avoid having open trash containers around the house.
- Make sure your pet has a collar with the ID on it. While microchipping your pet is very important, anyone who finds your dog or cat will have to wait until the morning to take them to a veterinarian or local shelter to get the chip scanned. Having a name and contact information readily available to everyone will increase the chances of your pet getting back into your loving arms.
We want everyone to have a fun, festive, and safe Halloween, and may you keep all your candy for yourself.
