South Town’s Halloween Safety Tips
That spooky feeling is in the air- it’s almost the scariest day of the year for our pets! Here are some tips to keep your pets healthy and safe this Halloween.
- Candy is for our children, and we are not talking about the furry ones. Chocolate and xylitol (an artificial sweetener found in many candies) are toxic to pets! Symptoms of chocolate poisoning may include vomiting, diarrhea, rapid breathing, increased heart rate, and seizures. Xylitol, even ingested in small amounts, can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar and consequently seizures, dizziness or collapse.
- Keep your pets confined, and away from the door. Not only does the constant opening and shutting of the front door pose a serious flight risk, the noisy doorbell ringing every 5 minutes is just as stressful! Try to keep your pets in a room in the house that they can hide. A white noise machine, radio, or even keeping the TV on can be helpful at masking the doorbell. If the anxiety of having strangers around the house will be overwhelming for your pet, please give us a call to help determine a solution that will work for you and your pet.
- Even with good planning accidents happen. Take the time before Halloween to be sure your pet is microchipped or has proper identification on his or her collar, just in case this is the day they decide to make a run for it.
- Costumes- not for every pet. Only put costumes on pets that love it.
- Make sure that the costume fits appropriately before the big night- it should not constrict movement, hearing, seeing, or the ability to “speak”. If your pet hates being dressed up, but you would really like them to participate in the holiday, consider a festive bandanna as an alternative.
Have a wonderful and safe Halloween! Stop in and see us- we will have treats (dog, cat and human friendly).
