Halloween: SpQQky Treats for Pets

We all love Halloween! Who doesn't, what with the costume parties and trick-or-treaters and CANDY?!? But we all have to remember that candy, especially chocolate, is toxic to pets. This is because chocolate contains a chemical called theobromine, which is in the same family as caffeine. In sufficient quantities, chocolate can make your pet very sick. Dark chocolate is far more toxic than milk chocolate, as it contains higher quantities of theobromine. Here are some simple tips to keep your pets safe from the hazards of chocolate:

1) When your children arrive home from trick-or-treating, (or once all of the trick-or-treaters have gone home for the night) please make sure to find a safe spot to keep the candy so that your pets cannot get into it. It is best to put it up high or in a safe cupboard that your pet is unable to open. Advise your children to do the same. Always monitor the candy around your children and pets.

2) If you are having a party, please tell your guests not to feed anything to your pets. Often times, your guests may not know that certain people foods can cause your pets harm, and will offer a hand out just because Fido is there begging. Better yet, it might be wise to keep your pets in a separate room where guests will not be, just to eliminate the temptation to feed Fido.

3) Make sure that the trash cans in the house are frequently emptied, especially if there are any left over pieces of candy in there that your pets can get into.

4) Make Halloween fun for your pets! Pets can be dressed up in costumes also, and there are many safe Halloween goodies made specifically for pets to eat. Just watch those calories!


What should you do if your pets DO get into chocolate? Well, it does depend on how much chocolate is consumed. An M&M, for example, is probably not going to cause any harm. However, if Fido manages to chow down the entire bowl of Kit Kat Bars that you left out for the trick-or-treaters, you may have a problem on your hands. Some of the signs that you should watch for if a significant amount of chocolate has been consumed would be vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, increased heart rate, panting, and shaking, to name a few. It is best to call your local vet, emergency vet hospital, or animal poison control right away to get further information (depending on what was consumed and how much - ESPECIALLY if you are in doubt at all) and/or to have you pet seen right away. A large consumption of chocolate should be viewed as an emergency situation.

Let's all follow these simple preventative tips to keep our pets safe, not only for Halloween, but for ALL of our holidays coming up. By being prepared and knowing what to do, we are providing for our pets a much happier and healthier Halloween!

Happy HOWLoween!!!