Here are some tips to keep your pets safe this Halloween:
- Keep your cats indoors at Halloween. This is a time of year when cats (especially black and orange ones) may be stolen for pranks or other unfortunate reasons.
- Halloween can be a frightening and stressful time for a pet.
- The doorbell ringing continuously can get some pets so worked up they can potentially injure themselves or get stress diarrhea. Keep your pet in a quiet, calm location during trick-or-treat hours. Natural pheromone products can help keep your pets calm and give them a feeling of safety. Ask us about dog appeasing pheremone for dogs (Adaptil) or Feliway for cats, which can be purchased at Chestermere Veterinary Clinic. See www.feliway.us or www.adaptil.co.uk for more information!
- Strangers in costumes can make some pets fearful or even aggressive; ensure your pet is a safe distance away from trick-or-treaters to prevent unexpected bites.
- Jack-o-lanterns and candles pose a fire hazard to wagging tails or frightened felines. Battery powered flickering bulbs are a nice alternative to real candles.
- Chocolate is poisonous, but plastic candy wrappers can also be dangerous if ingested.
- Xylitol is especially poisonous to pets and is an ingredient in gums, baked goods, mints, and other sweets. Always make sure that candy containers are out of your pets reach, or placed in a sturdy pet proof container if on the floor.
- The morning after Halloween scan your yard and sidewalk to ensure no candies were dropped overnight by trick-or-treaters.
- Ensure you set your children up with a good hiding place for their loot and inform them of the dangers of giving chocolate to pets. Double check after your child has treats, that they remembered to put their loot bag back in their special hiding place.
- Signs of chocolate poisoning include rapid heartbeat, muscle tremors, vomiting, and seizures. Without treatment, pets can lapse into a coma and die.
For more information or if you have questions, call Chestermere Veterinary Clinic at 403-272-3573.
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Sources:
Tobiassen, Janet DVM. About.com Veterinary Medicine. “Halloween Safety Tips for Pets.” Web October 13, 2021. http://vetmedicine.about.com/cs/winterinfo/a/halloweensafety.htm.
