The spookiest night of the year for pets is upon us and that means we need to take a few extra precautions for our four-legged family members. From tricks and treats to deadly decorations and dangerous howl-o-ween noises, there are plenty of potential problems that we need to closely monitor.
Cats Stay Indoors
First and foremost, you pets (especially your cats) should stay indoors this night (and every night, but we can talk about that later). Just make it a focused priority to keep your pets in a controlled environment during the nights of October 30-November 1.
Teach Pets the Difference between Trick or Treat!
It shouldn’t have to be said that you must keep dogs and cats away from candy, but so many animals wind up in the veterinarians office, that we have to remind people each year.
This means, don’t let your dogs pick things up out of the yard (unscrupulous people will often throw food over fences to lure unsuspecting animals into a death from poison) and you should never let your pet pick things up off the sidewalk during walks.
Specific dangers include:
Xylitol
Xylitol is a naturally occurring substance that is widely used as a sugar substitute.
Chemically, it is a “sugar alcohol”, and in nature it is found in berries, plums, corn, oats, mushrooms, lettuce, trees, and even some hardwood trees and fruits. In human land, it’s often found in gum, candy, and other products that are popular during the holidays.
Even small amounts of xylitol can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), seizures, liver failure or even death in dogs.
Chocolate
While no amount of chocolate is good for your dog to consume, dark chocolate and baker’s chocolate are the riskiest; milk and white chocolate pose a less serious risk.
Chocolate contains Theobromine, which can cause serious illness and even death in dogs. While theobromine is also toxic to cats, they don’t often consume it (perhaps because cats lack the ability to taste “sweetness”).
Dogs, on the other paw, will eat just about anything if given the opportunity.
Keep Help Nearby
Pet Poison Helpline is the most cost-effective animal poison control center in North America at only $39 per call, including unlimited follow-up consultations. The helpline also has an iPhone app that includes an extensive database of plants, food, drugs and chemicals that are poisonous to pets.
Deadly Decorations
Decorations are very dangerous for pets. Whether it’s decorative foods, plastic party pieces, or wires and cords; decorative items present choking hazards and the possibility of bowel obstructions, not to mention the possibility of burns or electrocution.
Wrappers are also a favored danger by pets because they make noise, they smell wonderful and humans always seem to leave them lying around. Keep a close eye on your kids and make sure they are properly disposing of candy wrappers and leftover pieces of candy that somehow seem to fall onto the floor.
Avoid Candles
Candles go hand-in-hand with this annual holiday, but it’s very important you avoid the use of candles if you have pets. This is especially important if you’re asking your pet to wear a costume.
A dog need only brush against a pumpkin that has been illuminated for a costume to catch fire.
Remember, while many children’s costume are made from fire-retardant material, not all pet costumes can boast that claim. This puts our animals in a dangerous position.
Stay Visible
You should plan on taking your pet for a walk either late at night after kids have retreated home to sort their candy.
Many pets will be alarmed by the approach of excited kids in costumes and may bite out of fear. Halloween is best when pets stay at home.
If you do take your pets out for an evening stroll, be sure you are all very visible.
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Avoid Glow Sticks
You’ll want to avoid glow sticks and glow jewelry. While they look fun, they can cause mouth pain and irritation, as well as profuse drooling and foaming. Many glow sticks are toxic to pets and people, so please avoid them during the holidays.
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PupLight
You could also just carry a flashlight, but if you have your hands full of dog, we recommend letting your pet do the heavy lifting. Puplight fastens onto your pets collar and makes you and your pet visible up to a mile away. The LED lights are safe and easy to turn on and off.
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Reflective Clothing
Lighting up can be accomplished by pet clothing that light up (like this illuminated vest), light-reflective clothing, boots or collars and even with specially designed leashes that feature reflective designs.
Costumes, Paint and Pics
No matter what type of costume you choose, we recommend you only put it on your pet long enough to snap a photo.
Most pets find costumes uncomfortable and this can turn into a real threat for pets and people. If your dog or cat is especially sensitive to new things, you should never attempt to dress them up for any reason – the potential damage you could cause is not worth the photo.
If your pet is accepting of a costume, here are some tips for selecting one:
Pet Paint:
For those animals you just can’t dress up, you may want to consider the nontoxic paint from PetPaint. Be especially careful if your pet is sensitive to noises (paints will make a “hissing” sound that can traumatize your pets).
Collars
There are some very cute costumes that require no work to use. These include cute bowties, and specialty collars like these from QuickSwitch (click to see video) – which allow you to instantly transform your collar into a new design.
These are great for pets who travel or who prefer to avoid costumes. There are a number of great collars to choose from and each can be instantly transformed for any occasion.
Costumes
There are many fun costumes available for pets that have been carefully designed with a pet’s comfort and safety. Choose from lions, butterflies, a stegosaurus or even triceratops!
Remember:
The best costumes are the most minimal. If you really want to put a costume on your pet, be sure it’s safe, made from fire-retardant material, and easily removed in case your pet becomes distressed.
ID is Imperative
It shouldn’t have to be said that your pets should be micro-chipped and wearing ID at all times, but we’re going to say it. Your pet should always be wearing:
- ID tags: that list the owner name and current phone number
- Rabies: Tags that are current
- Microchip: use today to make sure your pets tags and microchips have been updated. There is nothing more frustrating to a pet owner than losing a pet – unless you are the person who found the pet and were unable to return the animal because of microchip or ID information that is out of date. Make it easy to have your pets found.
- GPS Tracker: They are affordable, easy to use and will save you a lot of frustration if your dog or cat does make an escape.
Keep Pets Indoors
I can’t say it enough. This is the time of year that your pets are most likely going to be happier indoors, away from noise, and out of range of doorbells being rung for hours on end. Consider crating your pet during this stressful time, or putting into a room with a Kong toy and some relaxing classical music (although our pets prefer Enya
Cats are in particular danger this night as they tend to escape through open doors and windows. There are many dangerous predators out on Halloween and black or white cats and dogs are at a high risk of falling prey to their violence.
Halloween is a stressful time for animals, but with a little planning, you can make it an enjoyable and stress-free holiday for your two- and four-legged family members.