Wednesday, October 14, 2015

3 Halloween Pet Safety Tips

Who says Halloween is just for kids? Nowadays, more and more pet owners are involving their pets in this fun-filled holiday. If you’ll be one of them, it’s important to use caution, since Halloween can be actually be a dangerous time for a pet if you’re not prepared. Consider the following three pet safety tips by Brookfield Animal Hospital, so your four-legged friends can have a safe, happy Halloween with you and the rest of the family.

1. Choose Your Pet Costume Wisely

Dressing a pet up is one of the most popular and probably most enjoyable ways to include a pet in the Halloween festivities. Whether you’re thinking of dressing up your fur baby as an Ewok, a comic book superhero, or maybe even a piece of food, always consider the comfort level of the costume you choose before leaving it on your pet. Keep in mind that not all pets will tolerate wearing anything more than their own fur, no matter how comfortable the costume. Also, some costumes can actually be dangerous if they fit too tightly or have sharp pieces or pieces that can pose a choking hazard. If possible, try to get your pet comfortable in the costume a few days before Halloween. And if, after all your preparation, your pet still appears uncomfortable or downright irritated in the costume, don’t force them to wear it. Just hope for better luck next year.

2. Provide Pet Identification

Halloween is one of the most common times of the year that pets go missing. Sadly, this can be the result of being stolen from their own yards or from making a quick dash through the front door after seeing it continuously open for costumed trick-or-treaters. This is why it’s so important to make sure that your pet has sufficient identification that includes your current address and phone number.

A microchip is another great method of pet identification that we recommend. A microchip is a tiny device that’s about the size of a grain of rice that’s placed just under the surface of the skin, near a pet’s shoulder blades. Your pet’s microchip can contain a unique bar code that links to your contact information and can be scanned by most animal hospitals and shelters. Having both an ID tag and microchip can greatly increase the chances of  safe, happy reunion, should your pet ever become separated from you on Halloween—or any other time of the year.

3. Use Caution with Candy and Decorations

Did you know that chocolate is one of the toxic foods to pets, due to the presence of the alkaloid theobromine? Although the amount of theobromine varies in different types of chocolate, typically, the darker the chocolate, the higher the toxicity. The clinical signs of chocolate toxicity can range from vomiting to diarrhea to seizures and can take several hours to develop. The sugar substitute xylitol, which is common in many candies, is another ingredient that’s toxic to pets and can result in hypoglycemia if ingested. It’s best to keep all the sweets out of your pet’s reach.

Decorations like candles and lit jack-o-lanterns can also be dangerous to a curious pet that might accidentally knock them over, so use caution if you plan to have these around your home this Halloween.

Feel free to contact us at (203) 775-3679 if you have any questions about the tips mentioned above or if you’d like to learn more about Brookfield Animal Hospital. We hope you and your family—fur babies included—all have a safe, fun Halloween!


6 comments:

  1. Oh man, I'm taking my dog out trick-or-treating and I didn't even think about the chocolate. It will be like a minefield for my dog out there with all those treats around her. I'll have to make sure that I keep my dog walking no matter what, I don't want her to get sick. . http://www.belmontavevet.com.au

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  4. I really appreciate the information that was catered to highlight some of the hazards for pets that the Halloween holiday can bring with its celebration. This was very informative and helpful to pet owners as a means to keep their pets safe. I myself am a dog owner and I found this site very helpful in respect to making sure my dog doesn't get into the candy bowl.
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  5. I think your tip to make sure that my pet has identification could be a good way to make sure that my cat will be safe next Halloween. It's interesting that Halloween is one of the most common times of the year for pets to go missing. My cat has made it a habit to rush outside whenever she gets the chance. Making sure that she wears her collar with her identification would be a good way to make sure that she isn't mistaken for a stray so that someone will return her. Thanks for the tips!
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  6. I think your tip to make sure that my pet has identification could be a good way to make sure that my cat will be safe next Halloween. It's interesting that Halloween is one of the most common times of the year for pets to go missing. My cat has made it a habit to rush outside whenever she gets the chance. Making sure that she wears her collar with her identification would be a good way to make sure that she isn't mistaken for a stray so that someone will return her. Thanks for the tips!
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