Who doesn’t love Halloween? Dressing up like your favorite superhero and getting free candy is great fun for kids. Sometimes it isn’t so fun for pets. Read on for some easy ways to keep your pets happy and healthy on Halloween.
Playing Dress Up
Henle
If your pet likes to dress up make sure there are no small pieces that are easy to chew off and swallow or choke on like buttons. Never leave your pet unsupervised in a costume. They can become tangled or chew and swallow pieces off of it. Don’t force a pet to wear a costume if it upsets them. Skip costumes with masks. They hate them and it could interfere with their vision. Halloween bandanas are great for dressing up dogs and keeping them happy at the same time.
Ding Dong
Dixie Doodle
Give pets a calm, safe place to stay during trick or treating. Consider putting your pet in another room. Strangers in costumes can be very scary for pets, especially animals that already feel shy around strangers. If your pet is prone to dashing out the door it’s especially important to keep them in another room or crate when your front door is being opened so often. If your pet is out and about in the house make sure they are wearing a collar with tags and consider having a microchip implanted in case they escape.
Tricks
Henle
Keep your outdoor pets indoors and away from pranksters on Halloween. This is especially important for outdoor cats.
Treats
Suzie
Keep all candy away from pets. Chocolate, especially dark and baking chocolates, and the artificial sweetener xylitol are toxic to pets. Dogs will eat candy, wrappers, lollipop sticks and anything else that smells yummy. All of which can lead to choking, stomach upset or obstruction.
Jack-o-lanterns
Rocky
Watch out for pumpkins, some pets like to eat them. Too much pumpkin could cause stomach upset or obstruction if they swallow large pieces. Use battery operated candles instead of lit ones which can be knocked over or cause burns.
Hope you and your pets have a happy, healthy Halloween!
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