Halloween & Keeping Your Pet Safe
It’s that time again, ‘Trick or Treat’ is here - but keeping your pets safe doesn’t have to be tricky.
The candy bowl is for trick-or-treaters, not for Rex and Roxie. So, what is toxic for your pets and should be avoided?
CHOCOLATE:
Chocolate in all forms especially dark or baking chocolate can be very dangerous for cats and dogs. The darker the chocolate, the more toxic it can be. Why? The theobromine, which is a caffeine-like substance found in chocolate is higher in darker chocolate.
What about Ginger or Daisy the Cat? Is it toxic for them? YES! Although cats are less likely to gobble up on a Twix or a Catch, the theobromine found in chocolate is just as toxic for cats. For example, as little as an ounce of dark chocolate may be enough for a 10lb cat to need an emergency visit.
Chocolate affects the heart and brain so pets that suffer from heart disease or seizures are at an even bigger risk.
If that hasn’t scared you yet, well, keep reading.
Chocolate also has a high fat content which can cause digestive problems such as enteritis, gastroenteritis or pancreatitis.
XYLITOL:
With all the ‘low sugar’, ‘no sugar’, ‘sugar free’ and ‘low calorie’ candy out there, this is a critical ingredient that can lead to death in your pet. Xylitol is now found in a lot of chocolate but is also found in a lot of different varieties of gum.
Small amounts of Xylitol can lead to Hypoglycemia (low blood glucose), seizures, liver failure and even death.
RAISINS:
We see raisins in a lot of candy nowadays and these in addition to grapes can be life threatening if your pet ingests them.
What organ is affected: THE KIDNEYS!
Consumption of these can cause acute kidney failure in your pet so keep them far, far away from your fuzzy friends.
It’s not just the candy that can be dangerous, what about the candy bags that trick or treaters use, or the pretzel bags or the Herr’s bags? These can all be fatal to your pet. In some cases, dogs and cats can get their head into the bag looking for those yummy candies but if the bag gets stuck, your pet may begin to panic and it can create a vacuum seal over their head leading to them suffocating in minutes.
Other objects to be careful with include: candles, power cords, glow sticks and pieces of costume that may be laying around or fallen off.
If you suspect your pet has eaten something, call us immediately so we can determine the best treatment protocol.