The Halloween season is a fun time for most people, but for your dogs and cats, it can be stressful and even dangerous.
Candy is the most obvious item that could hurt your animals. Chocolate, gum, and other candies can pose a health hazard to your pets, but so can the packaging they come in.
“Any of that packaging, if ingested or swallowed by our pets, can cause intestinal blockage and that’s something we want to avoid as well,” said Dr. Danielle Bernal, Global Veterinarian of Wellness Pet Food.
Apart from candy, other risk factors for your animals include costumes and decorations.
It can be cute to dress up your animals on Halloween but they may not be so fond of it. Bernal says you want to make sure their outfit is cute and comfy. It’s also important that your pet is still able to walk freely in the costume.
“You know your dog or cat’s personality, if it’s something they’re probably not going to tolerate, take a picture and then remove it,” Dr. Bernal said.
Decorations at your home and at other homes can pose a choking hazard. Dr. Bernal says some decorations can look like treats or toys to animals and swallowing them could lead to a trip to the emergency vet.
Another stressor for your animals is all the action of Halloween night. People coming up to the door and knocking or ringing the doorbell can be triggering for your pets.
“Maybe move your table out to the front yard. That way you’re not going to have that interaction with the dog, and you can still have all the festivities without causing any upset to your pet,” said Dr. Bernal.
To help keep your pets calm, Dr. Bernal recommends keeping them in a room away from all the action and giving them some dog treats.
Dr. Bernal recommends making sure your pet’s ID tags and microchips are up to date. If they were able to get out, this would help make finding them easier.