Halloween is just around the corner. This can be a fun time of year! However, the autumn holiday can be dangerous for our animal companions. Read on as a local Marin County, CA vet lists some Halloween dangers for pets.

Candies

Many candies contain ingredients that aren’t safe for pets, such as chocolate, nuts, raisins, and xylitol. Hard candies and candy wrappers can also be choking hazards. Keep that candy bowl away from your furry friend!

Decorations

Pets are very playful, which is one of the thing we love about them. However, that mischievous streak can get Fido and Fluffy into trouble. Anything small or sharp is a potential hazard. You’ll also want to keep anything that could be chewed on out of paws’ reach. Other dangers include lights, candles, and potpourri. Your four-legged pal may also be scared of that mechanical zombie, or the flashing haunted house sign.

Traffic

Halloween often means extra traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian. If you have a dog, be very vigilant when walking him. If Fido has a yard to patrol, limit his outdoor time around the holiday.

Stress

While some dogs and cats are friendly and fearless, others get very uneasy when there is a lot of commotion. Pets can get frightened and/or confused by a steady stream of costumed trick-or-treaters. If your furry buddy is on the anxious side, put them in a quiet back room with bedding, toys, and treats, and let them sleep through the commotion.

Costumes

We can’t deny that dogs in costume are adorable. Fido has been a spider, a taco, a dinosaur, and a pirate, to name a few things. However, if you dress your pooch up, make sure his outfit fits him properly, and doesn’t restrict his vision or movement. Avoid anything that is tight, hot, or itchy, as well as anything with small parts, like buttons, that he may try to eat. As for Fluffy, she’s better off in her birthday suit.

Cats

We strongly recommend keeping kitties indoors around the autumn holiday. Black cats are especially at risk here. This is because they are unfairly associated with witches, due to old (and incorrect) superstitions. In fact, some shelters refuse to adopt black cats out around Halloween. Better safe than sorry!

Happy Halloween! Please contact us, your Marin County, CA vet clinic, for all of your pet’s veterinary care needs.