Keep pets safe this Halloween

We are coming up on Halloween, and it’s a good time to think about how to make it a pet-safe holiday. It’s a good idea to keep your pets inside on Halloween, particularly your cats (we have a black cat and she’s not going anywhere that night!) And then there is the risk of them getting into the pounds of candy around the house. Here are some of the more common problems that we see:

1) Chocolate poisoning. This tasty treat is toxic to dogs and cats, leading to vomiting, intestinal upset, hyperactivity and potentially cardiac arrest. How much causes poisoning depends on the pet’s weight and the type of chocolate.

2) Eating xylitol. This artificial sweetener is often found in chewing gum. It takes the place of sugar in a dog’s body, so that their real blood sugar level drops. This can lead to seizures and can be fatal.

3) Overeating. While it may seem innocent if the dog gets into the candy, it can cause significant intestinal upset and can cause them to become seriously sick.

Let’s keep this holiday pet-safe and keep the treats out of their reach - they don’t know any better and rely on us to watch out for them.

Vet Tips sponsored by Grass Valley Veterinary Hospital, Mace Dekker, DVM.