Halloween Pet Safety Tips in Altadena:
Keep the Tricks and Treats Out of Your Pet’s Halloween
Halloween is a favorite time of year for so many, yet our pets probably have different ideas. People in costume and tasty treats that are dangerous for their health are just two of the possible hazards of Halloween. To help you keep your pet safe this season, our team has come up with Halloween pet safety tips!
The Problem with Costumes
While it can be a blast to get dressed up as your favorite superhero, villain, a princess or an ogre, keep in mind that your pet doesn’t always understand that it’s still you. Costumes change our appearance, yes, but they can also alter our smell, making it that much harder for pets to recognize us. Watch your pet’s behavior closely and be sure to take them to a safe, quiet back room or their crate if they seem to be anxious.
Be Smart with Pet Halloween Costumes
Dressing up the whole family can also include your pet, and as long as they are cooperative, pet costumes are often harmless. However, it’s important to make sure that it fits properly. If it’s too big, your pet could trip on it or get it snagged on something and it could end up choking them. Meanwhile, if it’s too small, it could keep them from full mobility such as running or lifting their leg to go to toilet, which could make them irritable.
Halloween Candy
Many of us are aware that chocolate is toxic to our cats and dogs, but other candies are just as bad. Sugar-free candies often include xylitol, a sugar substitute that is highly toxic to our pets. Additionally, raisins (and grapes) are dangerous as well, so don’t share that box of raisins you got from your health-conscious neighbor, either! Due to the high sugar content of all candy, it’s best to keep the treats to yourself.
Halloween Decorations
It’s a lot of fun to go all out with Halloween decorations and put up spiderwebs, animatronic ghouls and ghosts, as well as candles and electric lights. Keep your pet’s safety in mind when decorating your home. Pets can easily get tangled in spiderwebs, and could be frightened by animatronics, which may cause damage to your decoration and your pet! Additionally, wagging tails have been known to knock many a thing over, so keep candles out of their reach. Electronic lights as well need to be safely squared away so pets can’t gnaw at them.
Halloween can be a lot of fun with your pet, as long as you help them to enjoy it responsibly! Ask our animal hospital team for more tips about Halloween pet safety at your next visit, or call us at (626) 798-0738!