Halloween Hazards

Halloween is here! We wanted to share a few things to keep in mind when it comes to your pets and Halloween so that you can spend the holiday having fun and not at the veterinary clinic.

The most common hazard for our pets when it comes to Halloween is chocolate and candy consumption. Dogs and cats are not able to metabolize chocolate the way that we do and therefore if they ingest it are at risk of poisoning.  Dogs that consume the sugar that inevitably goes along with candy can get pancreatitis which is inflammation of the pancreatitis and it can be very serious. It causes vomiting and diarrhea and can be quite painful. Take extra precaution to keep chocolate and candy products in places that are not accessible to pets.

Another common Halloween hazard is xylitol. Xylitol is a very sweet-tasting artificial sweetener in some foods. It can be found in gum, some baked goods, peanut butter and most sugar-free products. Ingestion of xylitol by a dog can cause liver failure, seizures and even death. Be cautious of items that contain xylitol and be sure to keep them away from your pets. If your dog does ingest xylitol go to your veterinarian as soon as possible.

Another common hazard around Halloween involves candles. We often use candles in our pumpkins to light up the spooky face we’ve carved in it. Some people use candles outside to light the pathway or stairs for the trick-or-treater’s to see better. The potential hazard here is happy wagging tails knocking the candle over by accident. Another common accident is curious pets sniffing candles and burning themselves. It’s best to  avoid candles altogether when there are pets around.

At the end of the day all we can do is be cautious of all of these potential dangers and do our best to avoid them. If your pet does happen to have any of these issues this Halloween seek medical care immediately. Often problems that are caught earlier than later have a better outcome for your pet. Happy trick-or-treating!