Safety Tip for Halloween

 

Happy Halloween!

Halloween night falling on a Saturday is a kids dream.  Dress up, stay up late and go door-to-door trick-or-treating gathering candy- sounds fun, but not for all family members. Doorbells often trigger dogs to bark and get overly stimulated.  Kids yelling Trick-or-Treat in crazy looking costumes can be scary.  Dogs don't know what day it is, or why this crazy activity keeps occuring.

The door opening and closing constantly is an opportunity for escape.  Luckily, although the dogs don't know what to expect, we do.  We can keep our pets (cats too) safe by closing them a room away from the door.  I am a fan of crates.  I choose to crate my dogs during prime trick-or-treat time.  They seem much calmer in their crates and they don't bark when the doorbell rings and I know they won't destroy anything while they are stressed and unsupervised.  

Bowls of candy waiting for kids near the door can be raided by pets.   We like candy- and they like candy.  It's bad for us, but it is Really bad for them.  Sugar can cause painful gas and diarrhea.  Sugar-free candies can be even worse.  A common sugar substitute is Xylitol which can cause a rapid, sever drop in blood sugar, causing seizures and possibly causing the inability to to walk. Xylitol can cause severe liver damage or death.  If you have sugar free candy containing Xylitol and you think your pet has ingested it, head to the animal hospital.  

Most people have heard that chocolate is dangerous.  It contains methylxanthines which can cause vomiting, diarrhea, or much more serious rapid or irregular heart rates, tremors and even seizures. Trick-or-Treaters often eat candy while out and sometimes throw candy wrappers on the ground or drop candy without knowing it.   Pay attention to what your dog may find on the ground.  It is best to take the dog out earlier, before the festivities begin. 

Key Takeaways:

* Sugar, Xylitol- containing candies, and chocolate all cause stomach upsets or much worse.  

* frequent doorbell ringing, visitors in costume yelling, can increase stress in pets.

* Keep your pets in a safe inside in a secure location away from the front door

* While walking outside after Halloween pay attention to what your dog may find on the ground. 

Not as many kids go door to door anymore, but some still do and some neighborhoods get more trick-or-treaters than others.   If you live in one of these neighborhoods, keep your pets safe and have fun.  

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.