Halloween is right around the corner and we are thinking about our costumes, decorations and candy. However don't forgot about our furry friends. this information is taken from the ASPCA's website.
1. No tricks, no treats: That bowl of candy is for trick-or-treaters, not for Scruffy and Fluffy. Chocolate in all forms—especially dark or baking chocolate—can be very dangerous for dogs and cats. Candies containing the artificial sweetener xylitol can also cause problems. If you do suspect your pet has ingested something toxic, please call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
2. Popular Halloween plants such as pumpkins and decorative corn are considered to be relatively nontoxic, but they can produce stomach upset in pets who nibble on them.
3. Wires and cords from electric lights and other decorations should be kept out of reach of your pets. If chewed, your pet might suffer cuts or burns, or receive a possibly life-threatening electrical shock.
4. A carved pumpkin certainly is festive, but do exercise caution if you choose to add a candle. Pets can easily knock a lit pumpkin over and cause a fire. Curious kittens especially run the risk of getting burned or singed by candle flames.
5. Dress-up can be a big mess-up for some pets. Please don't put your dog or cat in a costume UNLESS you know he or she loves it (yup, a few pets are real hams!). For pets who prefer their “birthday suits,” however, wearing a costume may cause undue stress.
6. If you do dress up your pet, make sure the costume isn't annoying or unsafe. It should not constrict the animal's movement or hearing, or impede his ability to breathe, bark or meow. Also, be sure to try on costumes before the big night. If your pet seems distressed, allergic or shows abnormal behavior, consider letting him go au naturale or donning a festive bandana.
7. Take a closer look at your pet’s costume and make sure it does not have small, dangling or easily chewed-off pieces that he could choke on. Also, ill-fitting outfits can get twisted on external objects or your pet, leading to injury.
8. All but the most social dogs and cats should be kept in a separate room away from the front door during peak trick-or-treating hours. Too many strangers can be scary and stressful for pets.
9. When opening the door for trick-or-treaters, take care that your cat or dog doesn't dart outside.
10. IDs, please! Always make sure your dog or cat has proper identification. If for any reason your pet escapes and becomes lost, a collar and tags and/or a microchip can be a lifesaver, increaing the chances that he or she will be returned to you.
Don't forget to check out The Pets Jubilee Furbabies in their costume finery!
http://petsjubilee-furbabies.blogspot.com/
Happy Halloween!
Annie
AnnieKDesigns.etsy.com
2 comments:
Amen to all this! Especially ID tags! So many pet owners think that if their pets are microchipped, they don't need tags. They could not be more wrong! Just think - how many people walk around with a scanner? None. How many people have their phone every time they leave the house? 99.9% (or close). If your microchipped dog is lost, and does not have collar with tags, how many people will make and effort to catch him and take to the vet to scan for chip? Very few. If your pooch has collar with tags,anybody with the phone can call you immediately. Plus, a collar makes it much easier to catch a loose dog, you have something to hold on to. If constant jingling of the tags bothers you, just put rubber band around them. Or make a little pouch - nice and easy craft project:)Or buy one. For me - tags jingling is like music to my ears -I know my greyhounds are safe.
Thanks for listening;)
Have a happy and safe halloween:)
Such a wonderful and informative post! Thank you for doing this, Annie. I agree with Eva, too. A collar and tags really are necessary. Velvet got out of her collar one time and it was just a miracle that Ken was able to catch her.
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