Tips to Keep Your Pets Safe this Halloween

Halloween is an exciting time for many. Children love to get dressed up. Many pet parents enjoy dressing their beloved pets up, too. That being said, costumes and candy can be quite dangerous for our favorite companions. 

Want to keep your pet safe? Here are some tips to do so. 

Be careful when it comes to Halloween treats. Though most people know that chocolate can be dangerous to pets, the truth is that it is not the only thing that you shouldn't feed your pets. Some bubble gums have xylitol, which can be fatal to dogs. Raisins are also toxic and can damage your pet's kidneys. 

Halloween costumes can also be dangerous for pets. Many costumes can be quite complicated and may look like a chew toy for your beloved dog. There are also all extras, such as swords and other decorations. Not only can these be harmful if eaten, but they may also cause internal injury or even illness.

Decorations can be just as bad for them. You should never have lit candles out around your pets. If one knocks over the pumpkin, you have to worry about a fire. Other decorations can be harmful if eaten. This may include fake cobwebs, blood, or even rubber eyeballs. Glow sticks can also be dangerous if chewed on! Candy wrappers can also become dangerous if left around for your dog or cat to get into. 

When choosing a costume, choose carefully. You should always buy a custom that fits your pet well. You want to make sure that your pet feels comfortable in it and is able to move around decently.

You also want to make sure that your pet can see well and breathe comfortably in any costume that you put on him or her. If you plan on taking your pet out trick or treating, make sure that he or she is used to the costume before spending hours in it!

Know your pet's comfort level. You need to know how your pet is going to be prior to Halloween. If your pet doesn't like strangers, you may have to lock him or her up in a bedroom so that you can hand out candy to all of the children who come. You may even want to lock up any outside cats that get easily freaked out by commotion.

Make it hard to lose your pet. With children coming and going, and a lot going on, many pets get anxious and may escape out of the house. For this reason, your pet needs to have a collar with your information on it so he or she can easily be returned. You may want to look into getting a microchip, which will help any lost pets come home.

Though you may be super excited for Halloween, it can be a difficult time for your pets. Halloween candy and even wrappers can be toxic to pets, along with many of the decorations that people love, including fake blood and cobwebs.

You may even be excited to dress your pet up, but you need to choose carefully. You want to buy a costume that fits well and is comfortable. If you are taking your dog around while trick or treating, it is also a good idea to get him or her used to it before the day!

You also need to be careful when you have trick-or-treaters come to your home. You may want to lock your dog in a bedroom so that he or she doesn't escape. That being said, a collar with some identification and a microchip is always a good idea.

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Fall can also be an unsafe time for your pet. For tips to keep your pets safe this fall, you can check out my article right here. 

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Previously published on Medium and/or Newsbreak.