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1. Don't leave your
pets outside on Halloween or the days preceding it. This can be a
very dangerous time for animals, especially black cats, when
Halloween pranks committed against pets can be vicious. Every year
there are malicious people who steal, torture, tease, or even kill
pets on Halloween. The ASPCA and other pet organizations warn to
keep ALL cats indoors and NEVER keep your dog in a car.
2. Halloween candy is for people, not
pets. Chocolate, for example, can be deadly to pets. Keep your pets
away from candy wrappers, tin foil, cellophane candy wrappers and
lollipop sticks which can get lodged in their digestive tracts and
cause injury or even death. There are many
safe pet treats
available to have on hand and many recipes for making homemade dog
and cat treats. Teach everyone in your home, especially children,
about the dangers of giving candy to pets and warn them about
leaving candy wrappers on the floor. Take your child's candy and
keep it out of reach from all pets in a closed closet or drawer.
Dispose of candy wrappers before your pets can get to them and keep
garbage cans tightly sealed.
Some signs that may require immediate
veterinarian attention are:
3. Children love
getting dressed up in costumes at Halloween, but for pets costumes
can be extremely uncomfortable, annoying, stressful and even
hazardous. If you do dress up your pets, be sure the costume doesn't
affect their ability to breathe, see, hear, smell, move, or bark.
Masks are not a good idea for pets as they affect their ability to
see. Animals depend on their sight to know what's going on and even
the sweetest dog can get snippy if he doesn't know what's going on
around him. Injuries from Halloween costumes can include:
-
Eye abrasions from
sharp objects attached to masks or costumes
-
Burns from
flammable costumes ignited by open flames such as candles or
Jack 'O Lanterns
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Skin irritations
or rashes from decorative face paints or cremes
4. If you use candles
in pumpkins, be sure to keep them out of the way of curious paws and
noses. The lit pumpkin can get knocked over and cause a fire and
cause deadly burns on your pet.
5. You might want to consider keeping
your pet is a separate room when trick-or-treaters ring the
doorbell. Strangers can frighten pets and even more so in strange
costumes. 6. Be
sure when you open the door that your pet doesn't run out when you
hand out candy. You might want to consider keeping a
pet gate
in front of your door to block access in case your pet decides to
chase after a trick-or-treater. You may want to crate your pet and
be sure to provide plenty of fresh water,
chew toys,
a favorite blanket, or a piece of clothing with your scent on it to
soothe your pet. Soft music can also soothe your pet during this
stressful time.
7. If you do decide to let your dog greet visitors at the door,
consider keeping him/her on a leash. A frightened dog can lunge,
growl or bite. It will also keep him safe from running away or
getting hit by a car.
8. Be sure you have proper Pet ID tags on so if your pet does run
out, he/she has a better chance of being returned to you. Now is a
good time to look at your pet's collar and update any old
information like phone number and address. Also, information must be
clear, so if your pet has old ID tags with name, address or phone
number rubbed out, now's a great time to get that replaced.
9. If your animal is very high strung,
consider asking your vet for a tranquilizer. We at
JudysHealthCafe.com recommend
PetCalm.
It contains a special blend herbal and
homeopathic ingredients known for their calming and soothing effect.
PetCalm is a natural remedy
with no risk of side effects or addiction and can be safely used by
animals of all ages and sizes.
10. Remember, your pets can't tell you
what's wrong and what bothers them. They may be more frightened by
all the noise, activity and strange people than you think. Be
sympathetic and treat them as you would any frightened child. Always
have your local Animal Emergency phone number available in case your
pet does get into something he/she shouldn't.
For more
information on pet safety, see a
complete list of substances toxic to pets
Give your pets a
SAFE and HAPPY Halloween! |
