Halloween Safety for your pet
Author: The Vet Shed Date Posted:24 October 2018
With Halloween almost here, you and your family might be gearing up for the big night. This means spooky decorations, costumes and delicious lollies! However, all of these items can be potentially dangerous for your pets. During the week of Halloween, vet practices and poison help lines have around a 12% increase in calls. Lets reduce the figure this Halloween by making it fun and safe for evey member of your family!
Lollies and Chocolate
Chocolate - Chocolate ingestion in dogs and cats can cause significant illness. Chocolate is toxic to your furry friends as it contains a chemical called theobromine as well as caffeine. Both of these chemicals are used as a diuretic, heart stimulant, blood vessel dilator, and a smooth muscle relaxant. Dogs cannot metabolize theobromine and caffeine as well as people can. This makes them more sensitive to the chemicals’ effects.
Lollies- All types of lollies and candy should be kept away from all of your pets. Hard lollies can be difficult to chew and digest which could cause choking. Gum contains an ingredient called Xylitol, which can cause a dog to become lethargic, suffer from seizures or even cause permanent or fatal liver damage. Another danger that can come from halloween candies and lollies can come from the wrappers. Plastic and tinfoil wrappers can become a major digestive problem and even obstruct a dogs intestines.
So in order to prevent a horrifying trip to the vet and save you a hefty bill, make sure to keep chocolate and lollies well away, somewhere you know your pets will not be able to reach to make sure this halloween is fun and safe!
Decorations
Unfortunatley pets love to explore new things with their mouths. This can mean chewing and swallowing things that they are definitley not supposed to. A curious or bored pet will happily take down decorations including fake spider webs, pumpkins, electrical moving decorations. This can be very dangerous for your pet. Any of these decorations can get lodged in your dogs digestive tract which is super harmful. Electrical cords also pose a large threat to your pets. Make sure cords that may be attached to any moving or light up decorations are out of the way, hidden and blocked off so your pet cannot reach it.
Costumes
Costumes can be great fun for you and your family, you may even want to include your pet in the fun! If you are planning on dressing up your pet you need to make sure your pet is comfortable at all costs. Introduct them to the costume slowly and calmy. Make sure the costume is not restricting or uncomfortable. If your pet shows any signs of distress make sure to take it off right away, their birthday suit might be their best option!
Keep your pets indoors!
Strangers coming in your yard dressed in spooky costumes can be terrifying for your pets! Unfortunatley they just do not understand it, and we cannot expect them to! Be sure to keep your pets indoors, preferably somewhere they do not have access to see the front door. A room with no decorations or dangers would be ideal for your pet to spend the night in.
