HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY HOWL-OWEEN!

Halloween brings lots of fun and festivities – but sometimes, our spooky celebrations can be tricky for our pets. The ASPCA recommends these easy ways to keep your pet happy and healthy during trick-or-treat season!

Stash the Treats: The candy bowl sure is tempting – but it’s for humans only! Several popular Halloween treats are toxic to pets. Chocolate in all forms—especially dark or baking chocolate—can be very dangerous for cats and dogs. Sugar-free gum, mints, and candy containing the sugar substitute xylitol can cause serious health problems in pets.

(Xylitol is so extremely dangerous and toxic to pets that we feel it deserves special mention. It might also go by other names, including wood sugar, birch sugar, and birch bark extract. It is frequently not listed on the ingredient label, making it difficult for pet owners to keep track of what items are dangerous to their pets. Most often found in sugar-free gum and breath mints, xylitol may also be present in peanut butter, vitamins, cough drops, medications, sugar-free desserts such as chocolate, JELLO, yogurt, and pudding, and even in some products such as baby wipes, mouthwash, toothpaste, and lip balm. For a partial list of dangerous products, visit https://www.preventivevet.com/xylitol-products-toxic-for-dogs.)

Talk to children beforehand about “not sharing” Halloween loot with pets – explain that this is because we love them, and don’t want to make them very sick. Have pet-friendly treats on hand as a safe substitute for candy. If you suspect your pet has ingested something toxic, call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 immediately.

Watch the Decorations and Keep Wires Out of Reach: While a carved jack-o-lantern is festive, pets can easily knock over a lit pumpkin and start a fire. Curious kittens are especially at risk of getting burned or singed by candle flame. Popular Halloween plants such as pumpkins and decorative corn are considered relatively nontoxic, but can produce stomach discomfort in pets who nibble on them. Other potentially dangerous decorations include rubber eyeballs (choking risk), glow sticks and fake blood (possible poisons), fake cobwebs (can choke or entangle pets and wildlife), potpourri (toxic to birds) and strung lights. Watch out for those candy wrappers and plastic packaging too!

Be Careful with Costumes: For some pets, wearing a costume may cause undue stress. The ASPCA recommends that you don’t put your dog or cat in a costume unless you know he or she loves it. Be sure to have your pet try on the costume before the big night. If he or she seems distressed or shows abnormal behavior, let your pet wear his or her “birthday suit” or don a simple festive bandana instead. Signs of discomfort include folded down ears, eyes rolling back or looking sideways, a tucked tail or hunching over.

If you do dress up your pet for Halloween, make sure the costume does not limit his or her movement, sight, or ability to breathe, bark, or meow. Check the costume carefully for small, dangling or easily chewed-off pieces that could present a choking hazard. Ill-fitting outfits can get twisted on external objects or your pet, leading to injury. Never leave a costumed pet alone, and make sure you remove the costume and put it out of reach when the fun is over.

Keep Pets Calm and Easily Identifiable: Halloween brings a flurry of activity with visitors arriving at the door, and too many strangers (many in terrifying costumes!) can often be scary and stressful for pets. All but the most social dogs and cats should be kept in a separate room away from the front door during peak trick-or-treating hours and during Halloween parties. Make sure the “safe” room is familiar and comfortable for your pets, and hang a sign on the door warning guests not to open it. You can also try sitting outside your door to hand out treats.

If your pets are not already confined in their safe room, be especially careful when opening the door for trick-or-treaters or guests. Dogs and cats can dart outside in moments, especially if they are frightened. Always make sure your pet is wearing proper identification. If for any reason he or she does escape, a collar with ID tags and/or a microchip can be a lifesaver for a lost pet.

When going trick-or-treating, it’s best to leave pets safely at home. Remember that to pets, masks and costumes can change how even their favorite people look, and may cause the pet to panic or react in unexpected ways.

We hope these tips will help you make sure that Halloween is a treat for your beloved pets – this year, and for many years to come!