Halloween Pet Safety

Halloween brings a number of hazards into the home. Here are a few important safety tips to ensure your pet is safe and happy on this spookiest of holidays.

  • Festive candy containing large amounts of chocolate, peanut butter, raisins or currents are toxic to pets. Ingesting them can result in upset stomachs, heart arrhythmia, kidney failure and seizures. It is important to keep them out of your pet’s reach and children should be taught not to feed candy to them.
  • Xylitol, a common additive used to sweeten food (particularly peanut butter) in place of sugar, is extremely toxic to dogs. Mild ingestion can cause hypoglycemia, or a rapid drop in your pet’s blood sugar levels. Symptoms include staggering, disorientation, collapse, weakness and seizures. Ingesting large quantities commonly leads to liver failure and death.
  • Certain holiday decorations can also be dangerous. Lights and glass ornaments contain toxic chemicals that cause internal irritation and bleeding. Owners should avoid placing decorations where their pet can chew on or eat them.
  • Pets with social anxiety, or who are territorial, should be placed securely away from the front door, where trick-or-treaters will be present.
  • Pet costumes should avoid the face or neck area, where breathing may become restricted and result in choking.