We are officially in fall! Hooray! This is my absolute favorite season of the year – the weather is still warm enough to enjoy a day outside, the leaves are changing colors and falling (subsequently adding some much needed color to my poor lawn, thanks to the drought!) and there’s already excitement in the air for the holidays!
The first holiday on everyone’s agenda is Halloween. Pumpkin patches, costumes and candy galore! What’s not to be excited about? But before we get too caught up in the festivities, let’s first remember our pets. Halloween and all that comes with it can introduce some dangers to our pets we may not initially think about.
Below, find our Top 5 ways to keep your pets safe during this fun and spooky holiday!
- Don’t feed your pets candy or chocolate: We all know our pets love our table scraps! But candy and chocolate can be life threatening to our animals. Chocolate is one of the most toxic candies to pets. Symptoms of chocolate ingestion include vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, agitation, increased thirst, an elevated heart rate, and in severe cases, seizures. But please don’t be misled; non-chocolate candy is a high risk for pets as well! According to the Pet Poison Helpline, large amounts of sugary, high-fat candy can lead to pancreatitis in pets. This potentially fatal condition is very painful for pets and can often take a few days to show up. Symptoms include decreased appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, abdominal pain, and potentially, kidney failure or organ damage. If you suspect your pet is showing signs of ingesting a dangerous amount of candy, please call the 24/7 Pet Poison Helpline at 855-764-7661.
- Raisins and grapes are off limits as well!: We all have those good intentioned neighbors passing out healthy snacks during Halloween. And while these are wonderful alternatives for us humans, they are extremely poisonous to dogs! Very small amounts of raisins (and grapes) can cause kidney failure in dogs and potentially cats. Any ingestion of raisins or grapes should be taken extremely seriously and treated as a “poisoning” case. Symptoms include vomiting, nausea, decreased appetite, lethargy, abdominal pain, and severe kidney failure.
- Candy wrappers: Admit it, we’ve all been known to lick a wrapper here and there to get the last nibbles of our delicious treat! Well, our pets are no different! Unfortunately, our pets will most likely ingest the wrappers and the foil and cellophane can cause a life-threatening bowel obstruction. If severe, surgery can be required to correct this issue. Watch for vomiting, decreased appetite, not defecating, straining to defecate, or lethargy. X-rays may be necessary to diagnose this problem. Please be sure to throw your empty wrappers away in a place your pets cannot get in to!
- Glow sticks and jewelry: While these are fantastic for being able to spot your children and friends while out trick-or-treating in the dark, pets are notorious for loving to chew on things they aren’t supposed to. Cats, especially, seem to love this item. While they’re non-toxic, there’s a definite choking hazard with these in addition to causing pain and discomfort in the mouth. Symptoms include profuse drooling, foaming at the mouth and the ability to glow in the dark. (Just kidding on that last part!)
- Candles: Keep lit candles out of reach of our curious little friends. While the glow of the flame may be enticing, sometimes pets don’t know something is hot until they get burned!
We encourage everyone to have a fun and safe Halloween and please remember these tips to keep your pets safe, healthy and happy! Personally, I know I’ll be watching the little hands of my children extra closely to ensure they aren’t slipping our dogs any of their candy or leaving their wrappers lying around!
If you feel your pet has ingested something unsafe for them, please call the 24/7 Pet Poison Helpline at 855-764-7661.