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Blog Entry 41 of 46 Ask the Dog Guy
The Dog Guy (me) answers questions about dog behavior/misbehavior.

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Halloween
Contributed by: Dave Pearson   on 10/24/2008

All Hallows Eve can be dangerous to your buddy's health.

Halloween will bring a parade of people and even some pets in crazy costumes to your door next week, asking for candy by way of "Trick or Treat"! But please be aware that it is all not fun and games for the pets.

Some things are not safe for pets, especially when the holiday is centered around going door to-door asking for candy. Chocolate is a favorite candy of many and will certainly be served up this year. And most pooches and kitties like (love) the taste of chocolate. But Chocolate for dogs and cats is a NO-NO. According to Dr. Steven Hansen, Senior Vice President, ASPCA Animal Health Services, which includes the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center in Urbana, IL, "Many of our favorite Halloween traditions could pose a potential threat to our companion animals." As responsible custodians of our companion animals, our pets, we need to make plans for trick-or-treating and/or costumes, that are not dangerous to pets."

The following is from the ASPCA:

"No Chocolate: Even if your pet has a sweet tooth, ingesting chocolate-especially baker's and dark chocolate-can be dangerous for dogs and cats, possibly causing vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity and even seizures.

No Sweets for the Sweet: Candies containing the artificial sweetener xylitol can be poisonous to dogs. Even small amounts can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar, which leads to depression, lack of coordination and seizures.

Dangerous Décor: Keep wires and cords from electric lights and other decorations out of reach. If chewed, your pet could experience damage to his mouth from shards of glass or plastic, or receive a possibly life-threatening electrical shock.

Don't Play with Fire: Keep your pets away from jack-o-lanterns with lit candles inside-knocking the pumpkin over can easily cause a fire. And curious kittens can get burned or singed by candle flames.

Costume Caution: Please don't put your pet in a costume unless you know that he or she loves it. Costumes can cause skin irritations, obstruct a pet's vision or impede his breathing.

For more information on having a safe Halloween with your pets, please visit our complete list of Halloween Safety Tips. And if your pet accidentally ingests potentially harmful products, immediately consult your veterinarian and/or the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435."




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CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

Dave Pearson

Arvada , CO

Dave Pearson has posted 46 blog entries and 2 comments since joining on 1/7/2008. Dave Pearson 's average blog rating is 5.
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