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Halloween Dangers - Keeping Your Pet Safe

By Carol Stack

Republish: EasyPublish™
Published: 19Oct2006
Word count: 622
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Halloween is around the corner. While you and your kids are enjoying the fun of trick-or-treating and Halloween parties keep in mind that it can be a dangerous time for your pets.

One danger is that your pet will get into the candy bowl. Chocolate in any form is dangerous for dogs and cats. As if the candy wasn't dangerous enough, there's also the concern that your beloved pet will swallow the candy wrapper.

The wrapper, if it makes it down to the stomach, can cause blockage in the intestines, leading to either very expensive surgery or death. If you suspect your pet has swallowed any dangerous substance call your vet immediately. The death of a pet is always a terrible thing to experience, but it's even worse if it could have been prevented.

What about pumpkins and decorative corn? Are these harmful to pets? These items are relatively nontoxic but could produce stomach upset if swallowed. If large pieces are swallowed then the intestines could become blocked.

Electrical wires from decorations such as electric lights or glowing pumpkins can also be a hazard for your pet. Be sure to keep them out of your pet's reach so they don't receive a life-threatening shock.

All decorations need to be kept out of your pet's reach. If your dog or cat chews a glass or plastic decoration they could damage their mouth. If it is swallowed, it can do terrible damage to the stomach and intestines.

A carved pumpkin is fairly harmless, but if you add a candle it suddenly becomes a hazard. A cat or dog could easily knock it over, causing a fire that could take the life of family members and pets. Curious kittens are especially at risk for getting burned or singed from candle flames.

Another Halloween favorite is dressing up in costumes. Children and even adults have a lot of fun pretending to be someone or something else. This has carried over to pets, too, and some dogs and cats truly do enjoy dressing up.

If your pets are among those that enjoy it just make sure the Halloween costume does not constrict their movement or their ability to see or breath. Dogs in costume should also be free to bark. Be sure there are no dangling pieces that your pet could easily chew off and choke on.

For those pets that do not enjoy it, dressing up in a costume can cause unnecessary stress. So follow your pet's lead regarding this part of Halloween fun.

During the time children are coming around to your home ringing the doorbell and shouting "trick or treat" be sure to keep your dogs and cats in a separate room. The extra traffic can frighten them and cause stress for your dog or cat.

If your pets are with you as you answer the door, be sure they do not rush outside. That is another good reason to keep them safely locked up in another room.

That leads into the last two warnings about the Halloween season. Be sure to keep your cats locked inside, even if they are used to being outside. Too many cats have been the victims of pranks around Halloween. Sadly, many do not survive the pranks.

Lastly, make sure that your pet has an ID tag just in case they do sneak outside as you open the door to trick-or-treaters. An ID tag is something your pet should have on at all times so if they somehow get lost you will have a much better chance of having them returned to you.

Following these tips will help your pet have a happy and safe Halloween.

Carol Stack enjoys writing articles about dogs. She lives with her husband, children, four dogs and seven cats in the United States. Carol and her daughter Christy have created a site especially for dog lovers at http://www.christysdogportal.com that includes tips on dog training, selecting a dog, and caring for your dog.

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