Halloween should be treat-filled, not tricky, when it comes to pet safety. Many of the candies and chocolates humans love can be downright deadly for our furry best friends.
Of course, many of the best Halloween goodies have chocolate, but cats and dogs should never be allowed to eat any of it, says Ahna Brutlag, a veterinarian who works with the Pet Poison Helpline to answer questions about toxic substances.
Unfortunately, with bags of chocolate treats in the kitchen and pantry, and bowls open for trick-or-treaters or parties, every Halloween, the team at Pet Poison Helpline winds up counting how many pounds of chocolate have been ingested by pets in their toxic counseling calls.
If you know or suspect that your cat or dog has eaten chocolate, call Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661 or your veterinarian immediately. Save yourself this headache by skipping chocolate this Halloween or keeping the pets far away from candy bags and bowls.
And did you know that Xylitol in sugar-free gum and candies is also toxic for dogs, and raisins are also bad for cats and dogs? And while you’re at it, keep that candy bowl by the front door completely out of reach from your pup’s curious sniffer: if a dog wolfs down a bunch of individually wrapped candies, they can get stuck in the digestive system.
Finally, if kids are returning to your house this year with bags of candy loot, counsel your young ones to keep their stashes away from pets Halloween night and after.
Make it a fun, and safe, Halloween for both you AND your pets.
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