Halloween Tips for Your Pets

The Doctors and Staff at the Dog, Cat & Bird Clinic of Nutley wish you and your family a safe and happy holiday season! Halloween begins the festivities and New Year’s Day ends the season. We send out the following tips to help you keep your pets safe this season and throughout the year.

Explain to everyone in your home (including kids) how dangerous human treats are to pets. Keep dogs out of the candy bowl. Chocolate in all forms, especially dark or baking chocolate can be very dangerous for dogs and cats. Chocolate contains theobromine, which can cause nerve damage and even death in dogs. The darker the chocolate, the more concentrated it is, the less it takes to cause problems in your pet. If you notice these symptoms of chocolate poisoning, contact us immediately or call your emergency vet right away because your pet’s life may be in danger:

Excessive drooling or urination, pupil dilation, rapid heartbeat, vomiting and diarrhea, hyperactivity, muscle tremors and seizures.

Candies or gum containing the artificial sweetener xylitol can be poisonous to dogs and cats. Even small amounts of xylitol sweetener can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar, which leads to depression, lack of coordination and seizures. In cases of significantly low blood sugar, liver failure has been known to occur. Please call us or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 if you have questions about possible toxicity. Remember that popular Halloween plants such as pumpkins and decorative corn are considered nontoxic, yet they can produce gastrointestinal upset should pets ingest them. Intestinal blockage could even occur if large pieces are swallowed. Corn cobs are common foreign objects retrieved surgically from intestines any time of year.

 Ingesting tin foil and cellophane candy wrappers can pose a choking hazard or cause intestinal blockage. Take young children’s candy supply and put it somewhere out of reach of pets. Caution children about leaving candy wrappers on the floor. Dispose of candy wrappers before your pets get to them, since the wrappers can cause choking or intestinal obstruction. Make sure the dogs can’t get into the trash. When walking dogs during or after Halloween, watch carefully for what they might pick up and choke on. Bits of candy and wrappers abound on sidewalks and streets after holidays.

Make sure costumes aren’t annoying or unsafe for your pet. It should not constrict the animal’s movement or hearing, or impede his ability to breathe, bark or meow. Try on costumes before the big night. If your pet seems distressed, allergic or shows abnormal behavior, consider letting him go au natural or donning a festive bandana. Take a close look at your pet’s costume and make sure it does not have small, dangling or easily chewed-off pieces that he could choke on. Ill-fitting outfits can become twisted on external objects or on your pet leading to injury. Halloween can be a frightening time for family pets. Walk your dog before trick-or-treaters start their visits. Keep a firm grip on the leash, many dogs are frightened by people in costumes. Some dogs may even run after trick-or-treaters. If your dog has any aggressive tendencies, fear of loud noises or a habit of excessive barking, place him in a quiet room as far away from your front door as possible at least a half-hour before trick-or-treaters arrive. All but the most social dogs and cats should be kept in a separate room away from the front door during peak trick-or-treat visiting hours. Too many strangers can be scary and stressful for pets.

 Find a secure place in your home to keep your dogs, especially if you’re giving out candy to trick-or-treaters. When opening the door for trick-or-treaters, take care that your cat or dog doesn’t dart outside. Many pets get loose when the door opens, and the presence of little (and big) costumed people often scares animals, increasing the chance dogs will run away or get hit by cars. Place a dog gate in front of your front door to block access in case someone accidentally lets your pet out of the place where he’s confined. If you want to have your dog near the door to greet visitors, keep him on leash. Keep all cats indoors. Make sure your pet is wearing an up-to-date I.D. tag. Always make sure your dog or cat has proper identification. If for any reason your pet escapes and becomes lost, a collar and tags and/or a microchip can increase the chances that he or she will be returned to you.

Pets can become very stressed by holiday activities and unwelcome interruptions in routine. Contact us if your pet is lost, sick, or if you have questions or concerns about coping with the holiday season.