How To Prevent Pet Emergencies This Halloween

‍

Halloween is a time to indulge in some spooky activities and delicious sweet treats. This holiday is all about letting loose and having fun, but your Halloween festivities can easily turn from sweet to sour if your pet encounters some holiday related trouble. 

‍

Our team at Vetted wants to help keep your pets safe this Halloween, so we’ve compiled a list of the most common pet emergencies seen during spooky season. Let’s dive into the details of these common health threats, and how you can help to prevent them this Halloween!

Eating Halloween Treats

‍

The best part about Halloween is the fact that it is filled with sugary sweets. Whether you have a child that trick-or-treats or you will be passing out candy to spooky visitors, many homes will be filled with much more candy than usual. Because of this, there is an increased risk of our beloved pets getting into our candy stashes. 

‍

If your little one gets their paws on any type of candy, they could be at risk of an array of health complications. Halloween treats can contain ingredients that are highly toxic to our pets, which include artificial sweeteners like xylitol and different types of chocolate. Either of these ingredients can lead to an emergency vet visit and time in the hospital, so it is a risk you always want to avoid. 

‍

Even with these toxic ingredients aside, a treat that is packed with sugar can incite a slew of gastrointestinal symptoms due to an upset stomach. Because of the risks associated with halloween treats, we suggest taking extra precautions to make sure any Halloween snacks are out of reach from your pet. This can include keeping any stored candy in a pantry or cupboard that cannot be easily opened, making sure nobody leaves their bags of candy laying around, and keeping your candy bowl close by if you are gifting trick or treaters. 

Sneaking Out Of The House With Trick-or-Treaters

‍

Halloween night offers many pets an opportunity to sneak out of their home. Greeting trick-or-treaters often means opening and closing the door to your home multiple times, which can offer your little one an easy escape route. Not only can the open door increase the risk of your pet getting loose, but all the commotion of Halloween visitors can put your pet on edge. This can lead your usually calm pet to act out of character, causing them to bolt out the door in an instant and disappear. 

‍

No matter how well behaved your little one is, it’s best to keep them in a safe zone that protects them against a potential escape. You can do this by keeping them in a separate room with a tasty bone as a distraction, keeping them behind a baby gate they cannot pass, or even putting them in their crate for the evening until the fun is over. If your pet is not a direct part of the Halloween fun, it is best to keep them in a safe space away from the Halloween chaos. 

‍

While this may not be directly related to Halloween, this is just one more example of how microchipping can save the day if your pet ever escapes your home. If they do manage to sneak out of your home along with your visiting trick-or-treaters, they can always be taken to a nearby vet and scanned for a microchip. This will help your little one make it back to you safe and sound. 

Crossing Paths With Danger Outdoors

‍

We hate to even imagine this thought, but there is an increased risk of our pets encountering danger outdoors during Halloween festivities. Whether you have a pet that has outdoor access or your pet accidentally escapes from your home, the Halloween commotion can expose them to many life-threatening dangers. There is a higher risk of being struck by a vehicle due to increased traffic, they could come in contact with someone that means them harm, and they could experience severe stress due to the crowds and scary halloween decor. 

‍

For this reason, we suggest following the suggestions we listed above on how to prevent house escapes, as well as keeping any indoor/outdoor pets inside. We also suggest not relying on your backyard as a way to keep your pet contained, as many pets have gotten spooked by Halloween visitors and escaped from their yard because of it. 

Halloween Decoration Mishaps

‍

If you are someone that enjoys decorating your home for Halloween, we suggest making sure that all of your decorations are pet friendly. Our pets can’t understand that they need to avoid certain decorations or exercise caution around them, so this can lead to many dangerous mishaps around your home. Pets have been known to knock over burning candles in lanterns, chew on electrical cords attached to decorations, and even consume pieces of your Halloween decor. 

‍

The best way to keep your home safe for your pet during spooky season is by ensuring that each of your Halloween decorations could not cause your pet harm. This means using battery powered lights to illuminate decorations, keeping your decorations on surfaces your pet can’t reach, protecting any hanging wires, and making sure your decorations do not contain items that can easily be chewed on or consumed. 

Final Thoughts

‍

Keeping your pet safe on Halloween does not mean that you have to sacrifice any of the spooky season fun. As long as you follow the pet safety precautions for Halloween we discussed above, you can make sure that everyone in your home enjoys their Halloween night!

‍

Our team at Vetted is here to guide you through each Holiday spent with your pup, you can always download the Vetted app or email our team directly at love@getvetted.io

‍