As you sip your pumpkin spice cider and admire the fall foliage, read our expert vet tips to keep your pets safe during the Halloween season. Your little creepy crawlers will thank you! Remember, if your pet is experiencing an emergency during Halloween, VEG ER for Pets animal hospitals are open 24/7, including holidays.
6 ways to keep pets safe during Halloween
Halloween poses a few unique safety challenges for pet owners that you might not even think of, especially if this is your first Halloween with a pet in your household.
Below, we hand out our top six tips for pet safety during Halloween season.
1. Keep candy away from pets
With Halloween creeping up, we all look forward to sweet treats. However, candy can be a risk for pets.
Pets should never be allowed access to Halloween candy. There are many kinds of candy that are very dangerous for pets to ingest, and chocolate is one of the most common. Chocolate contains various levels of methylxanthines like theobromine and caffeine that can cause:
Any type of chocolate can potentially be harmful to pets
Know that dark chocolate and baking chocolate contain the highest levels of methylxanthines.
Chocolate is extremely dangerous for pets, but it isn’t the only risky candy. Any candy that contains artificial sweeteners should also be avoided.
Xyolitol, an ingredient in many sugar-free candies, is toxic to pets
Xylitol is a common artificial sweetener found in gum and other candy. Unfortunately, it can be lethal to dogs even in very low quantities by lowering their blood sugar and causing severe liver damage.
Additionally, some types of candy may pose choking hazards for pets. Trust us, there's nothing fun about fun-sized candy bars that can get lodged in your pet’s airways. Gum, chewy candy, and hard candy all have the potential to get stuck as your pet tries to swallow, and cause a blockage.
If your pet eats anything with xylitol or other toxins, call your local pet poison control before coming to the veterinary ER. They’ll provide a case number and your VEG emergency vet will work with poison control to help restore your pet’s health.
2. Keep pets away from Halloween decor
The most frightening Halloween decorations delight humans to no end. But guess who may have trouble with your festive decorations? Yep, your little goblin, who doesn’t get what these changes on the lawn or in the home are all about.
Try to keep pets away from the decor entirely if possible, but if you can’t, always keep an eye on them around the decorations. From power cords to lit candles, seasonal decorations can be a pet’s nightmare.
Here are some Halloween decor tips to keep pets safe:
Secure cords or any wires that you may be using to rig the Halloween decor around your home
Be aware that heavy decor can be knocked over onto a pet, so position and secure heavy decorations so they cannot be tipped
Pets should not be allowed near candles at any time, but it’s even more likely they’ll be curious around a glowing pumpkin. Try using battery operated candles inside pumpkins to avoid accidental burns
3. Do not overheat pets in Halloween costumes
Costumes are a lot of fun for humans to wear, but they can be a problem for pets. A hot costume can cause heat-related illness in your pet, and can lead to a serious medical emergency.
If the temperature is warm on Halloween night, or the costume looks constricting, cutting off air flow around your pet, skip the pet costume—or take a few pictures at home in costume and take it off of your pet quickly. The risk isn't Insta-worthy!
Some tips when considering pet costumes:
Know the weather before you head out. Too warm, and your pet will overheat quickly
Costumes that make it difficult for your pet to move freely can stress him or her out
Be sure the material isn’t irritating, as this can cause your pet to scratch and damage skin
Choose a costume that doesn’t have accessories, like buttons, that your pet can chew off easily
4. Secure pets away from the door
Frequent doorbell ringing or door knocking from trick-or-treaters can be startling to your pet. Costumed strangers can cause them to leap into panic mode. Think: growls, bites, and bolting as you open the door.
Keep your pet away from the door so they won’t become scared by the “intruders” in costumes. Better yet, if you live in an area with a lot of trick-or-treat traffic, best to keep your pet in a separate room.
Here are some tips on how to set up a safe space on Halloween night:
Keep the room at a comfortable temperature
Provide access to fresh water at all times
Add a familiar pet-safe toy or two
Check on your pet, but don’t act overly excited or concerned as it could signal that something is wrong
5. Protect your pet from loud noises
To piggyback off of securing your pet during Halloween, providing a safe, calm area in your home for them, away from the front door, will help them out big time. If your pet is very afraid of the sounds associated with Halloween—such as the doorbell ringing, the shouting of people outside, or bright, blinking lights or even fireworks—then you might want to use white noise to help ease their anxiety.
Halloween party at your place? A white noise machine or a white noise app on your phone or tablet can help drown out the sound of everything going on outside. You might also want to try leaving the TV or radio on at a reasonable volume level for your pet as well.
6. Don’t purposely scare your pet
It may be funny watching your pet chase a light from a flashlight or laser, but think twice before you play other tricks on them. Pets don’t understand Halloween. Flashing lights, playing creepy sounds, or wearing a mask to playfully scare your pet isn’t funny to your little furball. In fact, your pet may respond by shaking, urinating, or vomiting, and that’s no treat for anyone.
New decorations, people trying on costumes, and anything else out of the ordinary, like candles and pumpkins can overwhelm your pet. So, scaring them on purpose can cause undue anxiety and stress on top of it all.
Remember that pets don’t know it’s Halloween.
Anything that is out of the ordinary for them is going to put them on edge, so don’t add to that on purpose.
Contact VEG if your pet needs emergency care
With the help of these tips, you can keep your pet safe and secure during Halloween. Remember to prepare as much as you can ahead of time so you can deal with any pet issues easily if they occur.
If you encounter a pet emergency during this holiday, call your nearest VEG animal hospital right away. Our emergency animal clinics are open 24 hours daily; weekends and holidays too. If you have to bring your pet to a VEG for emergency care, you will always be given the option to stay with your pet throughout the entire treatment and even hospitalization.
