October 31, 2007

Well it's Halloween, and many of us will be celebrating with candy, costumes and our companion animals. But before the festivities begin, we thought we could provide you with a few tips to keep your pet safe.

The ASPCA and Last Chance for Animals recommend the following:

Animals can become disoriented and confused by the constant barrage of trick-or-treaters – and all that door-bell ringing. Make sure your pet has a quiet place to rest during the ruckus.

Stressed animals often try to flee or hide – so keep an eye on them and their condition. Look for tucked tails, shaky legs and any unusual behavior – and make sure they don't slip out the front door!

Chocolate is especially bad for pets – an animal who's eaten chocolate may have the following symptoms; vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, hyperactivity, and increased thirst, urination and heart rate.

Of course, candy is generally not a good thing for animals. Neither are those decorations our pets sometimes like to chew on – like my foam pumpkin – which suffered the fate of my cat's claws – thanks Holden.

Finally, and some of you won't like this one – pets typically don't like costumes. So, if your pup seems out of sorts with his underdog outfit, he probably is. Might be a good idea to take it off.