Halloween is another level of scary for pets with costumes, masks, lights and a constant parade of strangers at your door. Prevent them being hurt, poisoned, or lost this holiday by following these tips from the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Don't feed pets Halloween treats. Candy may contain substances toxic to pets, such as chocolate or xylitol (a common sugar substitute). Often, you won’t be able to tell what a treat or piece of candy contains just by looking at it.
Make sure your pets have identification before trick-or-treating starts. A pet could escape through an open door while you are distracted passing out candy.
Keep lit candles, jack-o-lanterns, and other Halloween decorations out of reach of pets.
Keep digestive hazards like human costume pieces, glow sticks, decorations, batteries, etc. away from pets to prevent choking, internal injury, or illness.
Costumes
If you plan to put a costume on your pet, be sure to follow these guidelines:
Take some time before Halloween to get your pet accustomed to the costume.
Fits properly, comfortable, doesn't restrict movement
Doesn't have any pieces that easily can be chewed off or cause choking
Doesn't block your pet's sight, hearing, breathing or mouth
Never leave a costumed pet unsupervised.
One More Thing...
Consider how alarming the influx of uninvited guests must be for your dog. To ensure a peaceful evening for all, be mindful of your pet's temperment and bite tendencies around strangers.
Put them in a room away from the front door during trick-or-treating hours
Provide them with a safe hiding place.
Keep your pet indoors. (But if you plan to take them trick-or-treating, check out THESE 5 TIPS.
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