This entry was posted on 2020-10-20 by Pet Heaven Store.

Halloween is a night that is fast becoming more and more celebrated in South Africa. It is a spooky night that started to scare away ghosts and spirits, but keeping your pets safe does not have to be tricky!

Trick or Treat!

Keep the sweets for the Trick or Treaters, and not for Fluffy or Scruffy! Every year more and more toxicities are seen over the halloween celebrations. The most tasty halloween hazards include:

Chocolate (especially dark and baking chocolate) is the number one halloween ‘threat’ to pets. Some dogs love chocolate as much as we do, and will happily gobble it up! Even if they have eaten chocolate before and become sick from it, it doesn’t mean they won’t eat it again, they will! Chocolate contains methylxanthine which dogs cannot metabolise well and results in vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, agitation, increased thirst, an elevated heart rate, and in severe cases, seizures and even death.

Sweets and their wrappers are also very tasty for pets or are sometimes just ingested out of curiosity. Lots of sugar-free sweets contain xylitol, a natural sugar free sweetener, which is extremely toxic to pets and always needs medical emergency treatment. If ingested it can cause low blood sugar and serious liver damage. Some of the initial clinical signs include weakness, vomiting, lethargy, collapse, a racing heart rate, and generalized malaise. This can be followed by jaundice (yellowing of the skin), vomiting, black-tarry stool, anorexia, and liver failure. Other sweets can be very fatty and rich and if too many of them are eaten, pancreatitis may be caused as a result. The clinical signs seen with pancreatitis are similar to those listed for xylitol above! And believe me your dog probably won’t stop there. Pets that get hold of the sweet stash tend to eat the wrappers too! This can be serious, as the plastic and foil can cause blockages in their digestive tract. Some of these situations even need surgery to correct. Always watch out for vomiting, decreased appetite, not defecating, straining to defecate, or lethargy.

Raisins are definitely the healthier option for trick or treaters, but not for your dogs! Grapes, raisins, and currents, in all forms, should be considered toxic to dogs. Although the exact toxin that causes the reaction is unknown, ingesting even a small amount can cause some dogs to develop kidney failure. It is not known why some dogs get sick and not others, and there is no way of predicting which dogs are sensitive to this toxicity either. Sometimes the signs of raisin or grape poisoning can unfortunately only show up a few days after the grapes or raisins were eaten, once the kidneys are already damaged. These signs include vomiting, nausea, decreased appetite, lethargy, abdominal pain, excessive or decreased thirst and urination and bad breath. If you even suspect your dog has eaten grapes or raisins, contact your veterinarian immediately before any clinical signs develop.

Costumes and jewellery are pretty and cute, but...

Costumes can be very stressful for many animals and you really need to be sure that your dog or cat loves playing the part. If you decide to put a costume on your pet, make sure it fits well. Be sure that the costume does not impair your pet’s ability to see, move or breathe freely. Be careful of small dangling beads or costume bits and pieces, as these can easily be chewed off and be a choking hazard, or be swallowed. Some of these materials can also be toxic if ingested or can cause blockages in your pet’s digestive tract (similar to sweet wrappers).

Badly fitting costumes can also easily get twisted around your pet or caught on fences and external objects, while out and about. Getting caught like this can cause unnecessary stress or injury. Think twice about dyeing your pets hair as some products can be harmful to pets even when it is not toxic to humans. If you really want to let your pet join in on the Halloween festivities, get something like a fancy bandana instead!

Cats and glow sticks?
Many cats have a curious nature and may accidentally ingest odd things like glow sticks and jewellery, because they are bright and super fun to chew. Although this is usually not life-threatening, the contents of the glow stick can cause mouth irritation and pain, resulting in profuse drooling and foaming. If you notice your cat is chewing on a glow stick or jewelry, distract it with a tasty treat or toy to help carefully remove the product from its mouth. In cases of severe mouth irritation your cat’s appetite can be adversely affected and you may need to offer it soft tasty food! Also remember to bathe any chemical off the fur, as grooming can further contribute to any poisoning. If you are unsure whether your cat accidentally ingested a glow stick or other object, always notify your veterinarian immediately.
Keep your pets calm and easy to identify

Halloween can be very confusing for pets, as suddenly there are so many strangers knocking at your door. And these strangers don’t look normal either! They are all dressed in funny costumes, and many of them are small children. Unless your pet is a social butterfly, consider keeping him or her in a familiar, safe and secure room, away from the buzz of all the trick or treaters. Make sure your pet is comfortable in it’s bed, with a chew or favourite toy as distraction, especially during the busiest times. Be aware when opening the door for guests, as your dog or cat can quickly dart outside. For this reason ensure your pet is wearing proper identification because should he or she escape, a collar with ID tags and/or a microchip can be a lifesaver for a lost pet.

Keep your pets safe this Halloween. Plan and think ahead of time, rather than spend the night in the veterinary emergency room! And in the unfortunate event that your pet did possibly ingest something it shouldn’t have, contact your veterinarian immediately rather than wait and see, as you don’t want a scary outcome!