Halloween Safety For Fido

Halloween is just around the corner. The autumn holiday seems to get bigger and busier every year. Like every other holiday, this one does present certain hazards for our furry friends. A local Brantford, ON vet goes over some Halloween dangers for Man’s Best Friend in this article.

Decorations

Many small items, such as figurines, jewelry, beads, and buttons, are choking hazards. Anything with ropes or strings is also unsafe. That includes items like wires and cords, garlands, light strings, and fake spiderwebs. You’ll also need to be careful with plastic bags and ties, chemicals, and anything that contains a battery.

Candy

Fido may also be quite interested in Halloween candy. Keep those sweets away from your pooch! Chocolate is extremely toxic to our canine pals, and can be fatal at just one ounce per pound of a dog’s body weight. Plus, many candies also contain nuts, raisins, or xylitol, which are also poisonous for pets. Hard candies and candy wrappers pose choking risks. Put that candy bowl and any trick-or-treating scores the kids bring home in spots your pup can’t get to.

Foliage

That changing foliage can be breathtaking, but there are a few things to be cautious of here as well. Many late blooming plants, such as chrysanthemums, are toxic to our furry pal, as are things that you may plant in fall, such as garlic. You’ll also see a lot of mushrooms at this time of year. Store-bought ones are fine, but many wild ones are poisonous.

Traffic

There’s often more traffic than usual around Halloween. It’s also getting dark earlier, so you may be walking your furry pal after sundown more often. Get Fido a collar and/or leash that is visible at night. You may also want to get a leash with a built-in flashlight.

Pedestrian traffic is another thing you may see a lot of. If your dog is aggressive or anxious, he may get quite agitated by a stream of costumed strangers ringing the doorbell. You may want to put Fido in his crate or a quiet back room on Halloween night.

Flames

Candles, fireplaces, and fire pits are very popular, and definitely give you that great autumn vibe. Just don’t let your pet get within range of any fires. Keep candles in high, secure spots, or better yet, opt for flameless ones.  

As your Brantford, ON animal clinic, we are dedicated to providing top-notch veterinary care. Please feel free to contact us anytime!