Howl-o-Ween Safety for Your Pet

Halloween is a fun time to celebrate with all members of the family. This holiday can be particularly spooky for the furry children in your family. To make Halloween fun for all of your family members, take note of the necessary precautions and safety tips for your pet.

1. – Leave your pet at home if your neighborhood is particularly busy on Halloween and the sidewalks are overflowing with exuberant parents and screaming children, so you don’t risk upsetting or exposing your pet to this chaos
2. – Keep your pet away from candles. These could cause a burn risk or even a fire.
3. – Protect your pet from decoration wires or electrical cords. Pets may chew them and experience shock.
4. – Make sure your pet is close to you all the time and on a secure reflective leash when trick-or-treating or wearing identification.
5. – It is cute to dress up our furry friends; however, costumes should be loose enough to provide freedom of movement but not loose enough to trip up little feet. Also, beware of small parts, like buttons, that can be chewed off and swallowed. Steer clear of any hair dyes or paints that your pet could lick off their fur and become toxic if ingested.
6. – While pets may like the taste of an occasional sweet treat, to prevent illness and exposure to toxic substances, it’s best if pets don’t have access to candy. If you want to give your pet a treat, make sure it’s one made specifically for dogs or cats.
7. – Don’t feed your pet the following:
   • Chocolate (can cause vomiting/diarrhea, panting, excessive thirst/urination, hyperactivity, increased heart rate, tremors, seizures, and even death)
   • Excessive amounts of sugary treats (can lead to hyperactivity, increased heart rate, upset stomach, vomiting/diarrhea)
   • Any food, treats, gum, or candy containing the artificial sweetener, Xylitol (known to cause life-threatening low blood sugar and liver toxicity))
   • Candy/food containing grapes and raisins (may cause acute kidney failure)
   • Candy wrappers (may cause an upset stomach or intestinal blockages)
8. – Frequently opened doors present an opportunity for pets to escape. Be sure that your pet is wearing identification (i.e., tag or a microchip) and is kept secured in a separate room.
9. – Provide your pet with a secure calm area to stay. The constant sound of a doorbell ringing may be stressful. Friends and family should be careful around anxious pets. Animals may act out with behaviors that you aren’t accustomed to seeing when they feel threatened, afraid, or overwhelmed. Consider these warnings: Is your pet growling or snapping? Are their ears pressed back against their head? Is their fur standing up along their back?

Please remember that as much as we enjoy Halloween, it is important to be aware of the needs of our pets during this holiday. Should your pet experience an emergency, contact us immediately at 813-920-0303.