5 Halloween Safety Tips to Practice if You Have Pets

Halloween might be the spookiest night of the year, but there’s nothing scarier than your pet being in danger. Fortunately, it’s possible to avoid calling your local pet hospitals with a few simple tips. Here are a few tricks to help you make sure that this Halloween is a treat for everyone, including your pets.

Keep Sweets Out of Reach

As much as we might like Halloween treats, many of them are toxic to pets. Chocolate, in particular, is dangerous for cats and dogs alike. Xylitol, which is a sugar substitute, is also a danger to your pet. This is why it’s so important to make sure you’re keeping your candy bowl well out of your pets’ reach. If possible, invest in a candy dish with a lid on it to deter curious pets from stealing treats and potentially harming themselves. If you suspect your pet has ingested chocolate or another substance that’s poisonous to them, don’t hesitate to contact pet poison control.

Be Careful About Costumes

Pet costumes are adorable, but they may cause undue stress for some animals. Don’t put your pet in a costume unless you know that they’re comfortable in it. In addition, make sure the costume you’ve chosen doesn’t limit your pet’s ability to move, bark, meow, or see. Any dangling pieces should be removed immediately to prevent a choking hazard.

Be Mindful of Decorations

Halloween decorations like small fake spiders, cobwebs, and electronic devices can pose a hazard to your pets. Your pet may mistake a fake spider for the real thing and attempt to hunt or ingest it. Fake cobwebs are also a choking hazard for pets. If you want to decorate your home for Halloween, make sure your decorations are either well out of your pet’s reach or they’re contained to an outdoor area that your pet can’t access.

Keep Pets Easily Identifiable

Whether you’re taking your pet trick-or-treating with the family or you’re inviting some friends over for a Halloween bash, it’s important to make sure your pet is always easily identifiable. If you plan on taking your pet outside, make sure there’s some form of reflective tape or fabric on their costume or harness. In addition, make sure they’re wearing their identification tags at all times. This way if they do manage to slip out of the house, they’ll be able to be easily identified and returned to you.

Keep Pumpkins Away from Pets

Pumpkins might look great inside and out of your home, but they’re not great for your pets. Nibbling on a pumpkin could cause indigestion. In addition, keeping lit jack-o’lanterns within your pets’ reach could be disastrous. The last thing you want is for your pet to burn their paw or knock your pumpkin over and risk starting a fire. Pet hospitals have certainly seen their fair share of injuries on Halloween as a result of careless pumpkin placement.

No matter your plans for Halloween fun, it’s important to make sure your animals are safe. If you’re concerned about your pet on Halloween night, don’t hesitate to call your local pet hospitals and ask for some more safety tips.

At Southern Arizona Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center we are happy to provide a wide range of veterinary specialty and emergency services. It is important to have a “primary care” veterinarian to keep your new family member healthy and happy with routine vaccinations and health checks. But if you find yourself in the midst of a veterinary emergency, our team of experienced veterinarians is here to help. When it comes to visiting animal hospitals, we understand that the experience can be full of stress and worry, so we aim to make things as simple as possible. For more information, get in touch with one of our experts today.