Halloween is just around the corner, so please take the time to read through and share with your family & friends to ensure everyone has a happy holiday !
1. Fireworks , Sparklers and Glowsticks
Whether you are celebrating Halloween, Bonfire Night or Diwali , this party season can easily unnerve dogs and cats, leaving them anxious or prone to bolting.
When you can hear fireworks going off, keep your pet in the room with you, reassure and calm or distract with a favourite toy or treat, don't leave them in the garden or leave doors or gates open that could allow them to escape from the safety of your home.
You can also utilise a natural de-stress & calming treatment like Pet Remedy which is clinically proven to work quickly for all types of pets, and can help with firework phobias and any other stress or anxiety related issues. It calms without sedating and is available in wipes, sprays and as a plug-in diffuser.
Keep your pets indoors when you are using sparklers (outside of course) and make sure you dispose of them safely in a bucket of water or sand.
Glowsticks are also popular nowadays and although the contents are not poisonous, they could make your dog or cat very unwell if bitten into or consumed. Since dogs and cats, unlike humans, cannot spit it out if they happen to bite or lick some of it, they begin to drool uncontrollably. Your normally mild-mannered cat may become agitated to the point of aggression or may even vomit.
If your pet only seems afflicted with a bad taste in her mouth, offer her something she enjoys and will readily consume: Milk, canned food, treats are all good choices. Once your pet has calmed down, you can use a very wet washcloth on the tongue to help rinse and remove the taste from her mouth and get her to eat. After she stops drooling, turn off the lights and see if she is glowing anywhere on her body. If there is any glowing fur, wash the affected areas thoroughly with shampoo and water. Otherwise, if the remaining substance is not removed, the whole drooling episode can start again when she grooms herself.
2. Chocolate and Sweets
Don't let your children share their "treats" - its great fun to include your family pooch in Trick or Treating , or even a Halloween or Bonfire party, but don't forget even small amounts of xylitol can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), seizures, liver failure or even death in dogs. If you fear your dog has eaten chocolate or sweets, if they start to vomit or have diarrhoea, then take them to the vet immediately as fast intervention is crucial. Products containing Xylitol include low-sugar sweets, mints, chewing gum and things like Gummy bears.
To ensure your friends and family don't share their sweet treats with your pup why not make some dog-friendly Halloween treats of your own , Pawbakes are cheap and easy to make cupcakes and dog biscuits , you could even get your own Halloween inspired Cookie Cutters !
3. Pumpkins
Pumpkins themselves aren't poisonous , however when disposing of them please do so quickly ! Pumpkins can attract mould, some of which produce mycotoxins that can cause neurological problems in dogs. Also some super hungry (erm greedy !) dogs have been known to chomp into whole pumpkins causing stomach blockages. So make sure you chop them into pieces and bin, compost or use before they get mouldy on your doorstep .
You can order both Pet Remedy and Pawbakes from our website.
Love and Licks
Murphy & Bailey