Hey guys, I found this great article from Dr. Roth (with a little help...snort snort). Everything we need to know to make the best of our howloween from answering the door to candies we can’t have! Dad told mom it was kind of long but has a lot of safety tips, whatever that means?? I think it sounds like no candy for me...woof woof
BTW which costume is should I wear?? Beautiful, sassy Stella or Baby Shark??
Don’t forget about https://baileyswayrescue.org/ this months featured rescue. You buy a shirt they get a check.
Until next time,
As Always,
Love
Stella
Halloween Pet Safety Tips
Follow these Halloween pet safety tips!
Halloween is right around the corner and with pets playing such a significant role in our lives, you know they are going to be part of the festivities. If you’re looking forward to Halloween with your pet, then look no further for Halloween pet safety tips. Pets Best’ own Dr. Roth talks through common pet dangers found on Halloween.
Training Your Dog to Stop Barking at the Doorbell on Halloween
Halloween can unleash plenty of stress in even the most even-tempered canines. Think about it from your dog’s perspective. Most nights, no one rings your bell and there isn’t frequent noise coming from outside. Being unable to instinctively understand Halloween, your dog needs you to provide guidance and safety measures. Follow these tips to ensure that he fares well on that one night of the year when your doorbell works overtime.
If your dog is overly protective of you, growls, or cowers at people wearing hats, sunglasses, or strange outfits, usher him into a quiet room far from the front door. Provide him with toys, water and food, a comfy bed, and then turn on a classical music station to soothe him and muffle the front door trick-or-treat activity. Exercising your dog prior to the arrival of trick-or-treaters can also help keep your pup calm. Go on a vigorous walk or play an extended game of fetch to reduce his energy level.
If your dog loves greeting people, tether him to you using a waist leash. This will keep your hands free so you can hand out candy while limiting your dog’s movement toward strangers. Tethering your dog also enables you to body block him in case one of your doorbell ringers is accompanied by a dog. Some turf-protective dogs do not take kindly to having a strange dog dare to come to their front door.
Keep a bag of your dog’s favorite treats in bite-sized pieces handy. Only give him a treat when he plops into a sit on cue as you answer the door. By the fourth or fifth Halloween visitor, he will figure out he is rewarded for sitting politely.
Keeping Your Cat Relaxed on Halloween Night
Unfortunately, most cats do not like all the commotion that accompanies All Hallows’ Eve. Be sure to take some simple precautions to ensure a safe holiday for everyone, including your feline family members.
Cats are territorial and may get agitated with so many strangers coming to the front door. Since many of these strangers will be wearing costumes, your cat may experience greater anxiety than usual. Consider keeping your cat comfortable in a room away from the front door. Have plenty of toys and treats to keep him busy. If you leave your cat at home while you go trick-or-treating, perhaps you can get a pet sitter to make sure your cat remains calm. If your cat is normally allowed to wander outside, you may want to keep your cat indoors on Halloween to prevent distress from the holiday commotion.
Cats are extremely quick, especially when startled, so make sure that your cat is wearing a collar with updated ID tags. Even if your cat is microchipped, the contact information on his tags will lead to a quicker return home if he escapes.
Dangerous Halloween Candy for Pets
Halloween is associated with spooky haunted houses, pet Halloween costumes, and most of all, Halloween candy! It’s important to remember certain types of candy can be toxic to pets.
The following five Halloween candies are dangerous to dogs and cats.
Candy Corn and other high-sugar candy can cause severe gas and diarrhea. The sugar not only provides a great source of food for gut bacteria to indulge on, but it can also pull water into the colon and cause a bad case of diarrhea.
Chocolate-Covered Raisins combine two potentially deadly ingredients in dogs and cats. Chocolate is toxic to pets and can cause severe vomiting, diarrhea, and seizures. Raisins (and other grape products) can cause severe kidney failure. The two of these combined is the ultimate toxic nightmare for pets. If your pet eats any chocolate covered raisins this Halloween, take them to your veterinarian immediately for treatment.
Plastic and foil candy wrappers pose a health risk as they can cause an obstruction in the intestines and irritate the lining of the GI tract. Sometimes, pets can pass the wrappers without a problem, but it is best to keep all wrapped treats away from pets just in case.
Bite-size hard candy (such as Jolly Ranchers) have a delicious taste for dogs, however, these treats pose a major choking hazard for pets. Hard candy becomes slippery when mixed with saliva and can be inhaled into the trachea (windpipe), causing a choking hazard. Be sure to keep these candies away from dogs and cats.
Sugar-Free Gum and other candies may contain Xylitol, a sugar substitute. Xylitol is perfectly safe in people, but it can be especially deadly if ingested by a dog. Xylitol causes a very severe drop in blood sugar that can happen within minutes after ingestion. Pets may become lethargic, unable to walk, and start having seizures. If they survive the initial symptoms, they often will have severe liver damage and potentially fatal liver failure. This is the most dangerous type of Halloween candy for pets.
In spite of being a festive and fun night, Halloween can create a lot of pitfalls for our pets.
Dr. Chris Roth, DVM
Dr. Chris Roth is the resident veterinarian and pet health writer at Pets Best Insurance. He earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) from Kansas State University, as well as a degree in biology. Over his 29 years practicing General Veterinary Medicine, including owning and managing two veterinary practices, Dr. Roth has accrued a wealth of experience and specialized training in advanced Small Animal Orthopedics as well as maintaining an AVMA membership, Fear Free Veterinary Practice certification, and Idaho Veterinary Medical and Board of Pharmacy licensure. Among other experience, he has also held a role as an E.L.I.T.E. field consultant for Advanced Sedation and Pain Management for Zoetis Animal Health, formerly Pfizer Animal Health.