5 Things That Can Make Halloween Terrifying for Pets

Halloween should be scary for everyone except the family pets. Although we love when they enjoy life alongside us, Halloween fun can lead to terrifying things for Fido and Fluffy. According to our team of Emergency Veterinarians at The PARC, here are 5 things that can make Halloween scarier than you want.

1. There are so many costumes for pets on the market, and our cute little monsters can be the hit of the party. But don't force a costume! If it doesn’t fit right and a pet is unsupervised, lots can go wrong. If a pet prefers their birthday suit, dressing him up like a werewolf might make him downright frightful.
2. Keep Fido on a leash! All the action on the front porch might cause even the most obedient pet to slip out the door and run for the hills. All pets should remain on a leash, especially if you take them trick-or-treating. Even if your dog just wants to greet the trick-or-treaters, be a good neighbor to children who might be afraid of dogs. Always make sure your pet has current ID tags, and a microchip with up-to-date information.
3. Candy rules the night. Keep it out of reach from the pets. Chocolate is dangerous for dogs and cats, sugar-free candies with Xylitol are very toxic, and ingested wrappers and foil can wreak havoc. Remind the kiddos that candy is no treat for the pets otherwise they might share their loot.
4. Keep Halloween decorations, wires and flames out of reach of curious pets. Some pets have to chew everything that’s new making temporary wires extremely hazardous. Candles in pumpkins are especially interesting to playful kittens. With rambunctious pets, electronic candles to light the jack-o-lanterns are the safest way to go.
5. Pets don’t understand so a mob of zombies and walking hotdogs can be stressful. If pets tend to be scaredy cats on a good day, give them shelter in a kennel in a dark room with music to mask the scary sounds of doorbells and shrieking ghouls. Distract pets with fun play, delicious treats, and new toys. If Fido is afraid of Halloween, he’s probably afraid of Fourth of July, New Year’s Eve, and other big celebrations. We’ve had great success with anti-anxiety medications that are highly effective and safe. Our vets at The PARC can partner with you on a good plan to keep your pets calm.