A HAPPY HALLOWEEN FOR PETS

NINE WAYS TO KEEP A DOG OR CAT SAFE

by Karen Shaw Becker

Halloween is celebrated on October 31, and as always on this fun holiday for humans, it’s important to take precautions to ensure furry family members wake up healthy, happy and safe on November 1. Here are some potential hazards to avoid.

CHOCOLATE:

All chocolate is toxic to both cats and dogs, and and can cause kidney failure even in very small amounts. Chocolate-covered raisins pose a double-barrelled risk.

CANDY WRAPPERS: Halloween candy isn’t the only health threat for dogs and cats. Empty candy wrappers smell like what was in them, enticing a pet. The ingestion of foil and cellophane wrappers can cause a life-threatening bowel obstruction. It’s very important to stress to children, in particular, the need to keep all candy wrappers out of the reach of pets.

CANDLES AND GLOW STICKS:

Candles, including the small ones inside Jack-o’-lanterns, are fire hazards. Make sure they are well beyond a pet’s reach, so that a kitty doesn’t wander across a table or shelf decorated with lit candles or a dog doesn’t get too frisky with a carved pumpkin with a candle inside. Glow sticks and jewelry have become very popular, and pets (especially cats) have been known to chew on them. The substance that creates the glow is phenol, which can leak out and burn a pet’s fur and tongue. Choking on small pieces is another hazard.

SCARY HUMAN COSTUMES: Some pets can become very fearful or aggressive at the sight of certain Halloween costumes,

the darker it is, the more toxic. It contains a caffeine-like stimulant that when ingested by a pet, can cause vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, racing pulse and seizures. Make sure all family members and guests, including children, understand the importance of keeping chocolate away from the dog or cat.

SUGAR-FREE GOODIES CONTAINING

XYLITOL: This is a popular sugar substitute added to an increasing number of consumer products, including sugar-free candy, gum, mints and baked goods. A small amount of xylitol can cause a rapid and dangerous blood sugar drop in dogs, as well as acute liver failure. Xylitol’s effect on cats is unknown, but keep it far away from the kitties, as well.

RAISINS AND TRAIL MIX: Instead of candy, some well-meaning people hand out tiny boxes of raisins or small bags of trail mix containing raisins and/or chocolate candy such as M&Ms. Unfortunately, raisins are toxic to dogs and cats,