Elmhurst Animal Care Center Blog

Ghost and goblins aren’t the only hazards for Max and Mittens this Halloween.  Keep an eye out for these top Halloween pet dangers:

Chocolate

This common Halloween treat is not for your pet.  Chocolate, especially in the form of dark or baking chocolate, can be toxic.

Artificial sweeteners

Beware of baked goods or candies sweetened with xylitol.  Just a small amount of this artificial sweetener could be deadly.

Halloween plants

Traditional Halloween decorations like pumpkins and corn are not toxic, but ingestion could cause digestive upset or an obstruction.

Wires and electrical cords

Decorating for the holidays often leads to cords in places where they are not normally.  Be sure all these are out of the reach of curious teeth and that your pet cannot become tangled in them.

Candles

If you choose to light up your Jack O’Lantern with a candle, keep it out of the way of mischievous cats and dogs to prevent burns.

Costumes

If you choose to dress up your pet, be sure that its costume fits well and does not obstruct vision, hearing, or breathing.  A costumed pet should always be supervised so that it does not become tangled in the costume or chew off pieces.

If you do get your pet into a costume, we’d love to see it! Share your pictures in our Pet Gallery or on our Facebook page.

Trick or treaters

When opening your door to hand out candy, be sure your pets are secure in the house.  Stressful activity and an open door can lead to lost pets very quickly.

Decorations

Be sure that tempting decorations like tinsel, ribbons, and other potentially ingestible items are kept out of reach from curious pets.

If you think that your pet may have gotten into something that he shouldn’t have, please don’t hesitate to call us.