Halloween Safety for Dogs and Cats: Candy, Costumes and the Front Door

For kids, Halloween is candy. For a lot of dogs and cats, it is three hours of the doorbell ringing, strangers in masks, and a bowl of chocolate at nose height. Here is how to get everyone through it.

The candy

Chocolate

Chocolate contains theobromine, which dogs and cats cannot process well. Dark chocolate and baking chocolate are the most dangerous, milk chocolate less so, but none of it is safe. Symptoms include vomiting, restlessness, a racing heart and, in bigger amounts, seizures.

Xylitol

This is the one people do not know about. Xylitol is a sweetener found in some sugar free gum, candy and mints. In dogs it can cause a sudden, dangerous drop in blood sugar and liver damage, even in small amounts. Check labels on anything sugar free in the house.

Wrappers and sticks

A dog who gets into a bag of candy usually eats the wrappers too. Wrappers and lollipop sticks can cause blockages. Raisins, which show up in some treats, can cause kidney damage in dogs.

Keep the candy bowl up high, and do the same with the kids' haul at the end of the night. A pillowcase full of candy on the floor is the most dangerous object in the house on November 1.

The front door

This is where most Halloween problems actually start. The door opens over and over, and a scared or excited dog or cat bolts out into the dark.

• Put your pet in a quiet room with the door closed during trick or treat hours, with water, their bed and something to do.
• Or hand out candy from the porch or driveway so the front door stays shut.
• Make sure their collar and ID tag are on and your contact info is current, just in case.
• Cats that go outside should come in before dark on Halloween.

Be seen on the evening walk

Halloween night means more cars, more distracted drivers and lots of people out in dark costumes. Get the evening walk done before trick or treating starts if you can. If not, make sure your dog is easy to see. An LED collar is visible from much further away than reflective tape alone, and it is the easiest way to spot them if they slip their leash. Our guide on walking your dog in the dark has more on this.

Costumes

Some pets are fine in a costume. Many are not, and they tell you with flat ears, a tucked tail, freezing up, or trying to back out of it.

• Nothing that covers the eyes, ears or mouth
• Nothing tight around the neck or chest
• No small pieces that can be chewed off and swallowed
• Never left on when nobody is watching

If you want a photo without the stress, something simple works. A bandana tied loosely under the collar gets you a festive picture and comes off in a second.

Decorations

• Glow sticks taste terrible and usually are not very toxic, but a pet that bites one will drool and panic. Keep them out of reach.
• Candles in jack o' lanterns can be knocked over by a tail. Battery lights are safer.
• Fake cobwebs and strings of lights are tempting for cats to chew.

If something goes wrong

If your pet eats chocolate, anything sugar free, or a pile of wrappers, call your vet or an emergency clinic right away. Tell them what they ate, roughly how much, and your pet's weight. Do not wait for symptoms.