We want you and your pet to enjoy a safe and healthy Halloween. But, Halloween’s traditions of candy, costumes and trick-or-treating can be a threatening and potentially dangerous time for pets. There are a number of hazards that pet owners should consider during Halloween:
Loud and excessive noise created by trick-or-treaters can frighten your pet. Pets should be kept away from the door, to keep them from biting strangers or running into the street.
Candy, especially chocolate and those sweetened with xylitol, can be toxic, causing vomiting, restlessness, heart disturbances, and even death. Generally, when pets eat candy, they don’t bother to remove the wrappers. Ingestion of foil and cellophane wrappers can cause a life-threatening bowel obstruction that might require surgical intervention to correct.
Keep candles out of the reach of curious noses and wagging tails. Sometimes pets don’t realize something is hot until they get burned or cause a fire.
Pets look cute dressed up in costumes, but they might not enjoy it as much as their owners. If you dress your pet in a costume, be sure it doesn’t impair his vision, movement or air intake.
Keep in mind that pets are creatures of habit and can be very stressed when their environment suddenly changes.
The bottom line is, your pets are much better off if they are protected from all the traditions of Halloween.