Boo! Bark! Hiss! Having a Happy Halloween with your pet

I’m all stocked up for the 31st–Hydrogen peroxide, activated charcoal, stomach tubes, IV fluids…..the list goes on.  While I’m handing out miniature KitKats, Snickers, and toothbrushes (I kid, I kid!) to costumed tykes this Halloween,  I’ll be eyeing my pager awaiting the certain emergency call:  My dog just inhaled a bag of [insert preferred form of chocolate here]!  

Why is chocolate so bad for dogs (and kitties)?  Mostly because they cannot comprehend the word “moderation,” so when an opportunity arises to eat an entire batch of brownies or a bar of baking chocolate, many dogs go for the gold (so do I, actually….).  Chocolate contains caffeine and a substance called theobromine, both of which are toxic to our household pets.  Think seizures, arrhythmias, hypertension, and even death!  Different types of chocolate contain different levels of these substances.  The worst offender is baking chocolate which contains 7 x the amount of theobromine than milk chocolate.  Semi-sweet chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate contain lesser amounts, respectively.  

Be extra-careful this season.  For whatever reason, dogs gain super-human abilities this time of year and all of a sudden can open pantry doors, get on countertops, and use their non-opposable thumbs to open candy wrappers (or in the case of “Jasper” last week, who decided he didn’t have time to open the wrappers, he just ate the entire bag of Hershey’s Kisses, along with the foil).  So keep your bowl of candy absolutely out of the way of your critter.  

If you’re the sharing type and want your pup to enjoy some treats this Halloween, try this pet-friendly recipe using Carob chips, a chocolate-y substitute for the real thing.  

Some other tips for Halloween to keep your pets safe this Halloween:

• Don’t leave your dog or cat out in the yard on the 31st.  There are a bunch of crazies out there looking to sacrifice something, and I don’t want it to be your cat or dog. 
• Lit pumpkins + wagging dog tail = house fire.  Keep the lit jack-o-lanterns outside and your pets inside. 
• If you’re bound and determined to dress your pup like a bumble bee or pumpkin, have your pet try the costume on before the 31st to see how they handle it.  Avoid donning a costume if your dog is going to have a meltdown. 
• Keep your pets in a quiet room far away from the front door.  I’d dart out the front door if I saw a goblin and a ghost yelling at me for candy, too.