How to Keep Your Pet Safe and Stress-Free For Halloween
Halloween is an exciting and spooky time for kids and adults alike, but for our 4 legged companions it can be stressful and downright scary. All the loud noises! Humans are dressing up as scary creatures! The doorbell is ringing every 5 minutes! But scariest of all are the dangers your pet has no idea about—like all the yummy treats that can make pets very sick.
Here are some tips to help keep your pets safe this Halloween:
- If your pet is crate trained and feels safe in the crate, consider keeping them in there during the trick or treating hours.
- If you know that your pup feels the need to protect the house when the doorbell rings, consider leaving a note for trick-or-treaters to knock. Or, if the weather is nice, you can just hang out on the porch and pass out candy so nobody need ring or knock.
- Halloween parties can be extremely stressful for dogs and cats, because they don’t know why everyone is dressed up and acting so strange. I recommend having a dedicated safe space in the house for the animals to stay.
- Consider boarding in a kennel or having them stay with a relative, especially if you are planning to have a Halloween party.
- There are a number of medications available to help reduce anxiety in dogs and cats that are safe and effective. Sometimes it can take some time to determine the most effective dosage, so consider a trial dose beforehand.
- Remember: chocolate is toxic to dogs and cats. Also, sugar candy can cause severe gastrointestinal upset or pancreatitis. Keep the treats out of reach!
If your pet gets into something, call EMRVC at (410) 687-1111.
The doctors and staff at EMRVC wish everyone a happy and safe Halloween. By taking a few extra steps we can help to make sure that our furry friends stay happy and safe!
Essex Middle River Veterinary Center provides medical and surgical care for cats and dogs at our animal hospital and veterinary clinic in Essex, Maryland, just outside of Baltimore. Our services include preventive wellness care exams, vaccines, spays/neuters, and a variety of specialized care. Our state-of-the-art veterinary offices are conveniently located near I-695 where we see pets from Towson, Honeygo, White Marsh, and other neighboring Baltimore areas.