Take Extra Precautions For Your Pets On Halloween

Holidays are anything but fun for many pets. While we humans love the change in routine, the parties, the guests and the decorations, our furred and feathered family members too often find the disruptions disturbing, and sometimes dangerous. If I had to pick a holiday that's the least compatible with pets, it would have to be the Fourth of July. Fireworks are flat out distressing to many animals. Many spend the holiday on tranquilizers, while others (who probably should have been sedated and certainly confined) take off in terror from their yards. The lucky ones are found by neighbors or land in shelters, but there are always those animals who are hit by cars or are simply never heard from again.

The Fourth of July may be a pet's worst nightmare, but Halloween is pretty close to the tops of the list in terms of risks, too. The two biggest problems with this ghoulish holiday are frightened pets and poisoned pets, and animal emergency clinic traditionally see plenty of both. With the increase in activity, cats and dogs get nervous and some will take off if they can. That means an increase in animals hit by cars. Other animals may be a cause of injury: All those costumed young visitors can trigger territorial instincts or fear responses in some dogs, who may then become a bite risk.

The best solution for nervous pets is to confine them for the evening in a crate or a quiet room far from the front door or any holiday festivities. Many animal welfare groups warn that black cats are at special risk around Halloween, claiming that cultists pick up the animals for ritual torture. Such concerns have led many shelters to halt the adoption of black cats in the days before Halloween. In truth, such cruelties are so poorly documented that they surely happen rarely, if at all. Most fall in the realm of urban legends. Your black cat is more likely to be killed by a car than a cultist, but the threat of either is more than a reason to keep him inside. If you keep your pets confined safely inside the house, you will eliminate one source of risk. Keeping them away from the goodies will take care of the other.

Candy is a problem more for dogs than for cats, because cats are generally picky about what they eat. Not so for most dogs, who'll wolf down candy wrappers and all if given the opportunity , giving many a serious case of what veterinarians call "garbage gut." Any candy can trigger a bout of intestinal upset, but chocolate can do much worse. The small dog who gets a large amount of chocolate could end up dead without prompt veterinary intervention.

Some people put costumes on their dogs, and that's safe enough if you use common sense. You can find ready-made costumes in most pet stores, in almost as much variety as you'll find in stores for children. Homemade costumes can be fun, too, and you'll find a surprising number of pet costume events where you and your dog can show off your handiwork. The standby costume for my black retrievers has always been to put round white stickers on them, creating "reverse Dalmations." Such a costume meets the commonsense standard: It's comfortable and nonrestrictive, and it doesn't involve anything that could be hazardous, such as dye or paint.

While pets may not be holidays as much as we do, any celebration can be made pet safe with just a few basic precautions. Be sure to take them, because veterinarians would rather hand out candy to children than medicine to pets on Halloween.

7 things you can do to make Halloween safer for your pet

Trick or treat? Halloween means it’s time to keep your pets away from all the goody bags your children bring home. While everyone is getting in on the fun, be sure to include your pet. Make sure you keep plenty of their special treats on hand and keep the candy out of reach.

1. Don't feed your pets Halloween candy, especially if it contains chocolate or xylitol (a common sugar substitute found in sugar-free candies and gum);
2. Make sure your pet is properly identified (microchip, collar and ID tag) in case s/he escapes through the open door while you're distracted with trick-or-treaters;
3. Keep lit candles and jack-o-lanterns out of reach of pets;
4. If you plan to put a costume on your pet, make sure it fits properly and is comfortable, doesn't have any pieces that can easily be chewed off, and doesn't interfere with your pet's sight, hearing, breathing, opening its mouth, or moving. Take time to get your pet accustomed to the costume before Halloween;
5. Keep glow sticks and glow jewelry away from your pets. Although the liquid in these products isn't toxic, it tastes really bad and makes pets salivate excessively and act strangely;
6. If your pet is wary of strangers or has a tendency to bite, put him/her in another room during trick-or-treating hours or provide him/her with a safe hiding place;
7. Keep your pet inside. 

Pet of the Month- Dee Dee

Our October Pet of the Month is Dee Dee! She is an 11 year old Shih Tzu and is currently living at Riverside Veterinary Hospital waiting for a new home! She is extremely loving and is full of energy. Call us at 252-442-3636 if you would be interested in giving Dee Dee a FUR-ever home!

 

Employee of the Month

We are proud to honor Martha Perry as our Employee of the Month! Martha is a Technician and we are very thankful to have her as a part of our team!

 

Teamwork has never been more adorable