Halloween can be a fun time for the whole family, but if pet owners are not careful, the holiday may include a frightening visit to the veterinarian.
Dr. Nastassia Germain with the Veterinary Emergency Group in Alexandria, Virginia, said she sees a spike in visits around the holiday, which is the result of dogs getting into candy.
“A lot of these candies — we just want to be careful — can be very dangerous and toxic to our pets,” Germain said.
She said while many people focus on the night of Halloween, the uptick in visits usually comes a few days before and the day after the holiday, when guards are down, and pets sniff out either candy purchased for trick-or-treaters or a kid’s bag of candy from a night of trick-or-treating.
“Mom and dad think they’ve hid the chocolate away and the dog’s like, ‘I know exactly where they go,’” she said.
Chocolate is one of the main culprits for dogs that get sick. Germain said the compound theobromine and caffeine can be found in candies at varying levels, and the more of it a dog consumes, the more toxic it can be.
“This can lead to a small amount, sometimes simple vomiting, diarrhea, but depending on whether it’s dark chocolate, bacon chocolate, those contain the highest levels and can lead to seizures, arrhythmias or, left untreated, even death,” Germain said.
She said in worst case scenarios, a dog that consumed chocolate could experience kidney dysfunction or even kidney failure.
Another risk to pets is candies with artificial sweeteners such as Xylitol, which can be found in gum and other candy.
“It’s also sometime called ‘birch sugar,’ which can be tricky, and that can lead to dangerous lowering of blood sugar or even severe liver damage,” Germain said.
Ahead of the holiday, Germain said all candies should be stored in places pets cannot get into and parents should discuss with children the importance of not sharing their candies with their four-legged friends.
“The puppy eyes can be real tough,” Germain said.
Toys, decorations or costume accessories lying around the house also contribute to the uptick in pets that need emergency care. Candles and power cables should also be kept out of reach of pets.
So when the evening comes and little ghouls and goblins are knocking at your door, consider putting your dog, especially if they can be anxious, into a “safe zone” or a room that is comfortable for them.
“Be cautious about that, just because it is a lot of stimuli. It’s great for us, but not all of them love the extra sounds,” Germain said.
If you dress up your dog, Germain said make sure their costumes are not too tight and they won’t overheat in them.
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