Have you decided what you’re going to be for Halloween? As you sip your pumpkin spice latte and plan your costume, also consider how to keep your furry pal safe during the fearsome festivities. A veterinary emergency can ruin Halloween fun, and our WestVets Emergency Veterinary Clinic team explains the hazards your pet may encounter on the spooky holiday and offers tips to keep them out of harm’s way.

Halloween pet hazard #1: Missing pet

Many people rate Halloween as their favorite holiday, but the spooky festivities can be upsetting for your pet. Raucous crowd noise, scary decorations, people dressed in crazy costumes, and a constantly ringing doorbell can understandably make your pet nervous, and they may respond by slipping out an open door to find a quieter location to spend the evening. To help ensure your pet doesn’t go missing this Halloween, follow these tips:

  • Keeping your dog leashed — When on outings during the Halloween season, keep your dog leashed, so they don’t run away from scary, motion-activated decorations or perplexing people dressed as witches, goblins, and ghouls. 
  • Keeping your pet inside — Keep your pet, especially your black cat, inside on Halloween. In addition to preventing your pet from running away, by keeping your pet indoors, you protect your furry pal from any nefarious notions roaming ne’er-do-wells have in mind. 
  • Notifying your guests — If you host a Halloween party, post signs on your doors reminding your guests to ensure your pet stays inside when they are entering and leaving.
  • Securing your doors and windows — If you go out for the evening, ensure your doors and windows are secured, so your pet can’t sneak out.

Pets are crafty, and despite your best efforts, your furry pal may get past your defenses, so you should ensure they are properly identified to help ensure they can be returned to you if they go missing. Microchipping is a great way to provide permanent identification for your pet, and the chip can’t be lost or removed. When scanned, the chip provides an easy way to access your contact information. In addition, your pet should wear a collar and identification tags that have your current phone number. Check your pet’s tags to ensure they are legible and securely attached to their collar.

Halloween pet hazard #2: Trick-or-treat candy

Part of Halloween fun is having an excuse to eat lots of candy, but the trick-or-treat bowl holds many dangers for your pet. When a pet has access to the candy bowl, they may ingest tin and foil candy wrappers along with the sweet treat, and they can experience a gastrointestinal (GI) obstruction, requiring an emergency room visit. In addition, many common Halloween candies are toxic to pets. Examples include chocolate, xylitol-containing treats, raisins, and macadamia nuts. If your pet ingests a toxic piece of candy, contact our WestVets Emergency Veterinary Clinic team or Animal Poison Control to get expert advice on how to care for your pet. To protect your pet from trick-or-treat candy, follow these tips:

  • Monitor your pet — Never leave your pet alone with the candy bowl.
  • Store candy out of your pet’s reach — Ensure your pet can’t access candy by storing it in a locked or high cabinet. Another option is to eat all the candy, so you have no treats to keep away from your pet!
  • Educate your children — Your children may want to share their candy stash with their furry pal, so ensure youngsters know that candy can make their four-legged friend sick.
  • Provide pet-friendly Halloween treats — To help your furry pal feel included in the celebration, provide pet-friendly Halloween treats they can enjoy while you are indulging in candy.

Halloween pet hazard #3: Halloween pet costumes

Pets in Halloween costumes are too cute, but the garment may pose hazards to your four-legged friend. To help ensure your pet stays safe while in costume, follow these tips:

  • Listen to your pet — Remove the costume if your pet seems stressed or upset, especially if they exhibit signs such as panting, pacing, hiding, or refusing to move. 
  • Ensure the costume fits properly — Ensure the costume fits properly and doesn’t rub or irritate your pet’s skin, or hinder their movement or breathing.
  • Remove embellishments — Remove buttons or other embellishments that your pet could tear off and swallow.
  • Keep the fashion show short — Pets are usually more comfortable in their birthday suit, so remove your furry pal’s costume after taking a few pictures.

Halloween pet hazard #4: Halloween decorations

It seems like Halloween decorations come out earlier and earlier every year and some can be hazardous to your pet. To ensure your pet stays safe around your Halloween decorations, follow these tips:

  • Use cord covers — Some pets are tempted to chew electrical cords, potentially experiencing an electric shock. Use cord covers or battery-operated decorations to help your pet avoid a veterinary emergency.
  • Opt for faux candles — Lit candles can make your house smell like pumpkin spice and set a spooky mood, but they can burn your pet or cause a fire if your furry pal knocks them over.
  • Skip small baubles — Small novelty decorations, such as plastic eyeballs and spiders, can cause a GI obstruction if your pet swallows one. However, if your Halloween decor just isn’t complete without these small touches, ensure you keep them out of your pet’s reach.

Halloween pet hazard #5: Stress and anxiety

Some pets, especially those who have anxiety issues, find many Halloween traditions stressful. To help keep your furry pal calm when the ghosts and goblins are roaming the streets, follow these tips:

  • Placing your pet in an interior room — Confine your pet to an interior room and leave music playing to mask outside noises. You can also provide a food puzzle toy to help distract them.
  • Leaving the candy bowl outside — To prevent constant doorbell ringing and keep unfamiliar people away from your door, place the candy bowl outside and leave a note telling trick-or-treaters to help themselves to one piece.
  • Asking for veterinary help — Some pets benefit from anti-anxiety medication or a sedative during stressful times. Ask our team if these drugs could help your four-legged friend cope this Halloween.

By avoiding these five Halloween pet hazards, you and your pet can have an enjoyable holiday. However, if your pet experiences an emergency on Halloween, contact our WestVets Emergency Veterinary Clinic team.