Park Hill Vet: Tricks And Treats
Pet Safety For Halloween And All Year ’Round
By Margot K. Vahrenwald, DVM, CVJ
For the GPHN
Finally, the air is getting a little crisp and by Halloween we will have our usual first dusting of snow.
October is National Animal Safety and Protection Month and with that in mind, here’s a top 10 for keeping your beloved family members safe now and throughout the year.
1. For Halloween and the coming holiday season, keep pets indoors and especially keep away from the door when there are lots of comings and goings. We don’t want any escape attempts or unexpected aggression from fear, anxiety and stress. Make sure all cats and dogs are microchipped and the microchip contact information is kept current so if anyone does escape, they can be reunited when found. And, especially around Halloween, keep your beloved black cats safely indoors.
2. Holiday décor and special plants/flowers can also offer hazards. Decorative displays of pumpkins, Easter lilies and Christmas trees offer a host of temptations to curious canines and felines. Make sure that they do not have access to taste or tear apart displays that can be potentially toxic.
3. Holiday treats and sweets are not meant for pets. Chocolate, especially dark or baking chocolate, can be dangerous, even lethal, for cats and dogs. Xylitol, a sweetener to replace sugar in candies and baked goods, is also highly toxic. Keep all the goodies out of reach of pets and seek emergent veterinary care if any signs of toxicity such as vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness, acute weakness or seizures.
4. Retractable leashes should only be used for walking dogs in open areas. They are a source of frequent injury to dogs and their walkers in more crowded situations. For local walks and visits to veterinary offices and other businesses, use a simple leather or nylon leash for better control and safety.
5. Supervise all interactions between young children and pets. Young humans don’t have the ability to see body language cues given when pets are stressed by attention and situations can easily escalate. And, we know masks (and costumes) can be scary. Make sure pets have the ability to get away somewhere quiet when the kids are having fun.
6. When all the celebrations are done, make sure that cleanup is immediate. Bones, food scraps and trash should all be out of reach of pets to prevent tempting investigation and tasting. Watch out for package ribbons and strings.
7. Winter weather can make walks challenging when the streets and sidewalks are deiced or not cleared. Make sure to clean paws and remove any snow balls. Use unscented baby wipes to clean off any possible chemicals. Baby wipes are great all year round to clean paws, legs and underbelly to reduce any environmental allergens that can lead to itchy skin as well.
8. When the weather does get cold, remember if it is too cold for you to stay outside, then it is also too cold for your pet to be outside for long periods of time.
9. Safety inside your home is also key. Pet proof your life by making sure that all harmful chemicals and cleaners are stored out of reach of pets. Many detergents, cleaning agents, automotive fluids, gardening products, paints and glues can cause significant issues if ingested, and also can be an irritant if inhaled or in contact with the skin and fur.
10. Human medications are a huge source of danger for pets. All prescription and over-the-counter medications, but especially birth control, beta blockers, topical prescription cancer and dermatological ointments, ADHD medications, anti-depressants, and cholesterol-lowering medications, should be stored out of reach.
Be safe out there.
Dr. Margot Vahrenwald is the owner of Park Hill Veterinary Medical Center at 2255 Oneida St. For more information, visit www.parkhillvet.com.