Time to read: 5 mins
Halloween is a fun time for everyone but Halloween is also full of sweet treats, scary costumes and spooky decorations. All of these things can make our furry friends sick or scared.
With Halloween comes pumpkins, chocolate and sweets, webs and strings of lights as well as costumes and candles. Fireworks can be very noisy after dark which can be scary for dogs. All of these things are potential hazards at Halloween,
If your dog ingests one of the toxic substances listed below, please phone your vet immediately and be prepared to tell them how much of the substance was ingested and when.
Chocolate / raisins
As most people know, chocolate and raisins are toxic to dogs. Both of these yummy treats are regularly found around the house at Halloween from the children’s trick or treat bags to the sweet treats made at home to celebrate.
Sweets (sugar free too!)
Sweets too can pose a risk to your dog, especially if they have a healthy appetite and ingest a large amount. If your dog consumes a large quantity of sugar this can lead to gastrointestinal upset or pancreatitis and will make them feel very unwell. Sugar free treats containing xylitol also pose a poisoning hazard. Xylitol can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar levels that can lead to death if untreated.
Choking hazards
The plastic wrappings and bags that sweets come in and the sticks with lollipops can all present choking hazards to your dog. The lollipop sticks can also get stuck further down in your dogs’ intestine and cause a hole to form or create an obstruction preventing things from moving past.
Pumpkins and candles
Jack-o’-lanterns are one of the most fun parts of Halloween but once we’re finished creating them and add the finishing touches of a candle (real or electric) they can become a hazard to our furry friends. Candles can pose a fire risk either directly to the dog or within the house and if chewed, the batteries in electric candles are also toxic. Also, after Halloween when the jack-o’-lanterns are past their best and start to rot, the molds that come with this process can be toxic to dogs if ingested. So, keep all pumpkins in whatever form out of reach of dogs.
Trick-or-treaters / fireworks
With everyone going about dressed up in their favourite costumes and letting off fireworks in their gardens, Halloween can be a scary time for your dog. Some dogs find it difficult to interact with a human if their face is concealed, so make sure that if your dog is sensitive to this then avoid walking them when children are out trick or treating and keep them closed away from the front door if you have people in costume coming to the house. Also, if your dog is sensitive to loud noises try and create an environment within the house that is insulated from noises, such as an area under the table surrounded in thick bedding where the dog can feel safe.
If you would like any more information on this or any other pet health related queries, please contact out team of Registered Veterinary Nurses , any time, day or night on: Tel 0333 332 1926
