HALLOWEEN PET AWARENESS TIPS!

It's all right if you have a scaredy cat at Halloween. Pets can get spooked just like people do.

Dr. Melanie Landis, a veterinarian in the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M University, offers some helpful Halloween tips to keep your dog or cat out of harm's way:

• Keep nervous or aggressive pets confined to one room or a crate if kids are going to be coming by trick or treating.
• Keep black cats inside for at least a week before and several days after Halloween.
• Keep pets away from open flames.
• Keep candies out of reach of your pets.
• Keep cats that tend to be door darters confined in a closed room.

While treats are a very important part of a Halloween celebration, they can be harmful for Fido and Fluffy.

How the treat will affect your pet depends on the size of the animal and the amount of candy that has been eaten, says Landis. "Most candies will just usually cause a mild gastrointestinal upset, like vomiting or diarrhea," she says. "If the problems are mild, they should subside in 24-48 hours without intervention. Severe gastrointestinal upsets may require a trip to the veterinarian."

Chocolate, a favorite holiday treat, can be dangerous and even fatal for pets. "If a large amount of dark chocolate is ingested, this can be toxic," says Landis. She advises pet owners to go to the veterinarian within a few hours of the ingestion if possible.

If you plan on letting Fido or Fluffy join in on the dressing up fun, there are some things you should consider. "If a pet easily accepts a costume, then owners can use them," advises Landis. "Make sure the costume doesn't make the pet too hot and doesn't cover its eyes or nose."

Landis also warns the material used for accenting costumes can sometimes be harmful. "If any paints are used, make sure they are approved for animals, non-toxic if ingested, can easily be washed out of the hair coat, and are not applied near the eyes."

Halloween can be a fun and enjoyable time for both you and your pets if you follow these simple steps. But if you're nervous about Fido's reaction to the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, Landis says "most pets don't seem too bothered by it."

"Keeping pets confined and inside will help ease your pet through this spooky time," she adds.

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