It is that time of year again, October 31, Halloween. A day where children put on costumes, makeup and go house to house for candy. Halloween for me back when I was a kid meant going to Halloween parties and bobbing for apples in a huge bucket full of water. It also meant I went home with a ton of candy. Remember, candy and dogs do not mix. Chocolate especially, can cause vomiting, restlessness, heart disturbances, and even death. Tell your children not to share their candy with the family pet. If you suspect your pet has eaten chocolate or other candy that causes discomfort, consult your veterinarian immediately.
When it comes to the Halloween costumes, try to get Halloween costumes that don’t require you to use rubber bands. If you do have a costume that requires you to use rubber bands to hold it in place, remember to take the rubber bands off for they can quickly burrow into the animal’s skin.
You also want to be careful what kind of material you have on your pet’s costume, make sure it doesn’t come with buttons, sequins or tassels that the pet can chew off and ultimately end up choking on. You’ll want to take your pets costume off as quickly as possible when you are finished celebrating Halloween. Your pet can become restless with wearing a costume to where they’ll want to start tearing it up or eating it.
We would also like to remind you that along with Treats on Halloween, there are some kids along with adults who like to play Tricks on animals. Please be sure to bring your pets indoors, and out of harms way.
I have heard of teenagers tying firecrackers to a cats tail just to see it run and jump, the cat ended up on fire. Take extra precautions if you own a black cat by confining it in your house several days before Halloween. This will reduce the chances of someone abducting your black cat. The mythology about black cats and witches can lead people to do strange things to them. Even kids who mean no harm may yell at or chase a black cat, scaring the cat much more than the cat scares them.
Continual doorbell ringing and strange people at your door can be stressful for a pet. Some pets may experience stress-related diarrhea or potentially injure themselves if crated or otherwise contained. Keep your pet in a quiet and safe place on Halloween.
Also Jack o Lanterns can be dangerous to your pet, within a pet’s range are a fire hazard. Wagging tails and frightened cats zooming through the house can easily tip over a candle or carved pumpkin, causing burns or a fire. Please, throw away your Jack o Lanterns when you are finished with them, the wax can be poisonous to your dog if eaten.
