Halloween is a wonderful time to kids and the kids-at-heart to go trick-or-treating or to decorate the house like a haunted house! While we are having fun this Halloween we need to make sure that our pets are safe!

Dogs have a tendency (just like cats) to want to know what everything new in the house is, especially if its the edible kind! . Make sure the candy bowl that’s reserved for trick-or-treaters is set somewhere Fluffy or Fido can’t reach. Even better if there is a lid to the bowl to make sure they can’t climb and get into the treats! 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, and sugar-free candies containing the artificial sweetener xylitol can cause serious problems in pets!

Every Holiday is filled with decorations, especially Halloween. While going all out to decorate the house to look spooky, make sure to keep all decorations and wires away and out of reach of pets. This is especially important for the edible kinds pets can easily knock over a lit pumpkin and start a fire. Curious kittens are 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.

For most pets wearing costumes can cause them a lot of stress. We recommend that you don’t put your dog or cat in a costume unless you know for sure that he or she loves it. If you do decide to dress them up for Halloween, make sure the costume does not limit their ability to move, see, breath, bark or meow! Check the costume prior to putting it on them to make sure that there is no dangling objects that can easily be chewed-off that could present a chocking hazard. Ill-fitting outfits can get stuck or twisted on external objects, leading to injury.

Halloween is not the best time to allow your pets to wander. Take extra precautions and keep any and all pets indoors under supervision. Most dogs and cats tend not to like a lot of strangers coming to their home (back to back) if possible keep your pets in a room (with plenty of food, water, etc.) where they are less likely to hear the trick-or-treaters at the door. If dogs need to go outside make sure you escort them out and that they are on a leash! Sudden noises and strange-looking costumes can spook your pet, causing them to run away, so make sure you are with them anytime they need to be outside for any reason.

Don’t wait to have your pet treated in the case of an emergency. Locate a 24-hour veterinary clinic if your family veterinarian is not available.

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