Veterinarian advice for Halloween pet safety

Halloween can be a dangerous holiday for pets. While people can’t get enough of the giant yard skeletons and blowup decorations, they can be absolutely terrifying for pets.

As Halloween gets bigger and better and neighborhood yards fill up with giant skeletons of humans, chickens, dogs and other spooky décor, taking the family dog for a walk or the cat looking out the front window could trigger anxiety, terror, and negative behaviors. Not to mention the dangers of ingesting pieces of decorations, costumes, or Halloween candy.

Award-winning veterinarian and founder of Ultimate Pet Nutrition, Dr. Gary Richter shares his tips for keeping pets safe during spooky month.

·Let pets sniff Halloween decorations while you are putting them up to process what they are. This can help them realize they aren’t scary as well as get used to being around them.

· Keep it positive. If decorations are already up and pets are showing signs of fear, introduce positive reinforcement by sitting near the decoration and offering your pet treats or a toy. This will help them associate the decorations with something positive.

· Keep out of reach. Keep decorations off the ground and above the reach of pets who may try to counter surf to reach them for a snack or entertainment if they get bored. Pieces of décor that pets may eat can cause stomach upset or blockages.

· Put candy up. Don’t set your candy bowl on the ground by the front door. While convenient, it is too tempting for pets to walk by and grab a mouthful. And it’s not just chocolate that is dangerous. Pets can also have negative reactions to sugar substitutes, candy that contains dairy, and other additives. Not to mention, since your pet won’t be unwrapping the candy prior to eating it, the wrappers and lollipop sticks can also cause intestinal upset and blockages.

· Stay safe and take precautions. On Halloween, make sure your pet is wearing identification tags and is kept in a room away from the door when trick or treaters visit. You never know what costume or noise could scare a pet and cause it to bite out of fear or bolt out the front door. If your dog or cat is particularly sensitive to noises you can put them in a room in a crate with a white noise machine, music, or the television on to drown out the sounds of trick or treaters.

However you decide to spend Halloween and spooky month, make sure all dangers and threats are eliminated by following these steps from Dr. Richter. No one wants to spend Halloween at the vet or in an emergency pet clinic.