How to Keep Pets Safe and Calm in a Trick-or-Treat Filled October
Written by Erin Campbell, co-owner of Paws ‘n Claws
Halloween can bring both tricks and treats for your pets!
As Halloween approaches, candy seems to be everywhere. Large bowls stocked and ready for trick-or-treating can certainly be tempting to humans, but have you considered how tempting they may be to our furry friends? While all candy is considered dangerous to pets, two kinds are especially toxic. Sugar-free candies containing xylitol, even in very small amounts, can be fatal to both dogs and cats. Chocolate – as most already know – is also quite toxic, especially in the form of dark or baking chocolate. While smaller amounts of milk chocolate generally aren’t too concerning, any amount of baking or dark chocolate is a concern. Should your furry friend ingest any xylitol or chocolate, it is extremely important to contact your veterinarian right away.
While you and your human family enjoy candy and sweet treats around Halloween, you might want to consider special pet-safe treats for your furry friends. For the first time this year, Paws ‘n Claws has a Halloween display filled with frightfully fun toys from Pet Lou and GivePet’s Howl-o-Ween, Love Bites, Magic Paw-Tion and Halloween Purr-Ty treats for dogs and cats. Beyond the Halloween-specific items, Paws ‘n Claws is also stocked with a wide range of fall-inspired treats. Co-owner Eli Campbell says, “From Bocce’s pumpkin, peanut butter and cinnamon soft treats to Honest Kitchen’s puréed pumpkin and goat’s milk probiotic cookies to Lord Jameson’s organic apple pops, we have a nice assortment of fall-themed treats for your pup. And not only are they fun for fall but they also have functional benefits as well to keep them healthy and moving.”
Give Pet’s Halloween treats are featured at Paws ‘n Claws, along with other fall-inspired treats! For every bag sold, GivePet donates enough treats for 10 shelter dogs, and has an overall goal of showing millions of shelter dogs a little extra love through their premium treats.
Frightfully fun Pet Lou dog toys greet you at Paws ‘n Claws this October!
A time for costumes, Halloween can certainly be festively fun, but also pose dangers some might not be aware of. While dressing your furry friend up can be exceptionally adorable, it is important to consider their comfort and safety level. As with jackets, cooling vests or other pet attire, it is important for anything your canine or feline wears to fit snuggly, but not be too tight or constricting. You want to avoid anything loose fitting that could cause entanglement, or that they would potentially chew and ingest. And while humans can easily voice their opinion on costumes, it is not so plain and simple for our canine and feline companions. Signs of anxiety in dogs can include lip licking, head turning, a tucked tail, stillness, running away, growling or barking, and are important to watch for. In our feline companions, take note of any behaviors indicating anxiety such as pacing, hiding, decreased appetite, vocalization, hypervigilance, trembling, salivation or excessive grooming. Should any of these behaviors present, removing the costume is important. Also, remember to only put a costume on your pet while supervised as they can chew off and ingest a portion of the costume, which could lead to intestinal obstructions.
Pets can add to your family costume when done in a way that considers their comfort.
Like costumes, Halloween decorations can also pose a threat to curious pets. Open flames in pumpkins can cause burns to inquisitive pets, wires running to decorations could be chewed by puppies or kittens and cause mouth burns, fake cobwebs and rotting pumpkins that might be enticing to eat can cause intestinal obstruction, and the solution used in fog machines can be toxic to pets. Glow sticks are also something to beware of as the chemical inside of them can be mildly toxic, causing profuse drooling, stinging, irritation and gastrointestinal upset if ingested.
Aside from costumes and decorations, the increase of unusual and perhaps frightening activity in or around your home can cause even more stress and anxiety in your pet. If you have a pet likely to be anxious around Halloween, providing a quiet and safe area in your home is an easy remedy during times of increased activity. Beyond that, Eli explains how calming remedies can also be helpful during more stressful and potentially scary times. “Calming products with melatonin or CBD are good ingredients to look for because they really do help to ease the anxiety,” says Eli. “CBD has been proven safe and effective and we even have some fall-inspired pumpkin CBD treats to keep them less anxious. And melatonin helps to mellow pets out and allows them to relax and sleep during stressful times. Check out Suzie’s Pumpkin CBD treats, Progility’s Calming Aid with Melatonin or locally-made Hemp Love CBD treats from Mountain Paw Bakery.”
With calming products, dogs can stay relaxed and enjoy the season.
With calming tricks and fall-inspired treats, Eli, Erin and their amazing team at Paws ‘n Claws are ready to help you and your furry companions enjoy the season that is upon us. As you partake in the festive fun, make sure to remember how best to accommodate your pet in allowing them to also enjoy the frightfully fun month of October.