Photo by Brooke Thorington
While Halloween can be lots of fun for the kids, it can pose a health hazard to your pets. Ginger Guttner, Spokesperson for LSU’s School of Veterinary Medicine said if you have pets don’t leave out candy where they might have an opportunity to grab a treat for themselves.
“Some things especially chocolate with dogs can be very toxic if they ingest too much of it, and they’re even things that you wouldn’t think would be bad, like raisins that can be toxic. Just like you shouldn’t eat too much candy, your dog really shouldn’t have any and certainly not too much,” said Guttner.
Guttner said if your pet does get into the candy and overindulges it can cause pancreatitis, which is an inflammation of the pancreas, and it can be extremely painful.
“Usually, you should look for things like if your dog is vomiting, has diarrhea or even a decrease in their appetite that’s noticeable, anything related to what goes in or out, I guess you can say, and then you should check with your veterinarian right away,” said Guttner.
Another thing pet owners should be mindful of Guttner said are your Halloween decorations, indoors and out. Your pets could chew on cords or even try to digest a decoration which could cause an obstruction and possibly lead to surgery.
And while many enjoy dressing up their pets in costume for the holiday Guttner cautions that you make sure the costume fits properly so it doesn’t impact their vision or cause breathing difficulty.
“So, nothing too constrictive, but not so loose they trip over it, so it’s got to be something that’s comfortable, and I would say if your dog doesn’t want to wear it please don’t make them,” said Guttner.
Guttner also recommends that you know where your nearest emergency vet is located beforehand and to keep the Pet Poison Helpline number handy which is 1-800-213-6680.
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