It’s that time of year again – little ghosties and ghoulies hit the streets, hauling their trick-or-treat stash back to their home haunts, and scary stories of things that go bump in the night. Halloween can be a lot of scary fun, with all the costumes and excitement.

Halloween Costume Safety safety for pets

Some pets actually love to dress up and go on the trick-or-treat trail with their families. Make sure that your pet’s costume doesn’t block their vision or drag on the ground. Also, make sure that the costume is lightweight and breathes well, so your pet doesn’t overheat. Always keep your pet on a leash and well under control. If they’re prone to picking up things from the ground (like candy wrappers, dropped food, or other garbage), consider using a muzzle. Or leave them at home.

General behavioral safety considerations

A scared or nervous dog may bite, and a human being running around in a costume can be pretty frightening to a nervous dog. If your pet is nervous or reactive, it’s best to keep them home and safe in a crate in a quiet room, away from the front door. A child (or anyone, for that matter) getting bitten while trick-or-treating is pretty scary.

Halloween candy safety for pets

Horror stories of pets accidentally poisoned or killed by halloween candy are also pretty scary. It’s terrifying watching it happen to your own pet.

Teach your kids not to share their halloween haul with pets. Keep the candy bags and bowls well out of your pets’ reach.

Some ingredients are especially toxic, like:

Xylitol is deadly

Xylitol (also marketed as “birch sugar” or “wood sugar”) is an artificial sweetner sugar substitue. It’s used in all kinds of sugar-free gums, candies, and nutbutters. It’s even used in some oral hygene products. This ingredient is highly toxic to dogs, and can kill your pet in less than an hour. Symptoms of Xylitol poisoning can present in as little as 10 minutes.

Symptoms include:

  • Vomiting
  • Lethargy
  • Confusion
  • Weakness
  • Unconsciousness
  • Seizures

If your pet is exhibiting any of these symptoms, get to an emergency vet right away!

Chocolate

Chocolate can make your pet very sick, depending on the size/weight/breed. While some dogs don’t seem to be affected at all, others can get ill very quickly. It’s best to keep any goodies with chocolate completely away from your pets, just to be safe.

Hard Candies

Hard candies pose a choking hazard for your pets. It can also result in broken teeth if your pet decides to chomp on a hard candy or jawbreaker. Lollipop sticks can also pose a choking hazard if your pet swallows one. They can also poke out an eye or go up a nose, especially if your children like to play wth your dog while they have a lollipop in their mouth and your pet gets a bit rambunctious. Teach your children not to have anything in their mouths while playing with pets. Candy or food dropped on the floor from a child’s mouth might seem like fair game to your pet, but it could make them sick or injure them.

Keep Halloween treats out of pets’ reach when sorting them for your children

When your little ones come home from trick-or-treating, it’s always a good idea to thoroughly check their treats before letting them have any. Make sure that you sort them where your pets can’t reach them. Better still, do it in a room where you can close a door to keep pets out. Or crate your pet. And make sure that you check the floor to pick up any candies that may have fallen. This is also a good opportunity to explain to your kids why they can’t share their haul with Fido.

Don’t let Halloween turn into a horror story for your pets. Have a safe and fun Halloween!