How to give your pet a safe, happy Howl - A - Ween

How to give your pet a safe, happy Howl – A - Ween

Halloween is coming with all its tricks and treats!  For humans this holiday is one of the most popular each year.  However, for pets it can be quite a different story.  Here are some tips to keep your pets happy and safe this Halloween so that your fun holiday doesn’t turn into a true nightmare.  Animal emergency clinics report a spike at Halloween in both hit by cars and poisoning.

Keep your pet safely confined at home

Before the trick or treating starts put your pet in a quiet room with a fun food stuffed toy where you know they will be safe from all the hustle and bustle.  This will prevent your pet from bolting out the door when you answer it for the trick or treaters.

It is best to confine your pet even if you are just having people over for a costume party. All the costumes and commotion can send a normal happy dog over the edge when he can’t recognize his friendly family.  He could be fearful and try to escape or if cornered may attempt to bite because of his anxiety.

Trick or treating is not fun for most pets and it is best to leave them at home.  A leash can easily be dropped or pulled from a hand and your fun night will turn into a search and rescue mission very quickly.

Keep the candy out of reach

Once your pets are freed from the safe room make sure all the candy is out of reach.  Many candies are toxic to your pets and can cause anything from tummy upset to seizures.  No one wants their pet in the hospital for eating something they shouldn’t have.

Always make sure to have the 24 hour ASPCA Poison Control Center Hotline number handy – 888 426 4435.  The hotline charges a fee but has a database of things pets eat and can give your veterinarian life saving advice to treat your pet quickly and effectively.  If you suspect your pet has eaten anything call your veterinarian and Poison control immediately.

Halloween Decorations

Always be careful when decorating your home – these items can be very tempting for curious pets.  Some of the most dangerous decorations are lit candles, rubber eyeballs, glow sticks, fake blood, fake cobwebs, potpourri and strung lights.  These things can cause intestinal foreign bodies, poisonings or entangle your pet and cause them to injure themselves in an escape attempt.

Costumes

Most pets are happiest costume free but if the temptation to dress them up is too much for your to take a few simple rules will help keep your pet happy in their new duds.

Make sure they have full use of both their ears, eyes and legs.  Anything overly restricting may scare your pet and cause them to try to run off. 

Remove any loose buttons or things they could chew / ingest.  A nervous pet will chew more and could swallow these items leading to possible surgery

If your pet shows signs of discomfort while wearing the costume (fidgeting, pawing, scratching, hiding) it is best to remove it and realize they are not having nearly as much fun with this as you are.

Following these tips will help to keep your pet safe and happy at home this Halloween!

article written by:

Dr. Lorene Rockwell 

Wolf Merrick Animal Hospital