Having a Happy Halloween with your pets!

*Make sure you walk your dog early in the evening, to avoid the crowds.

* If you decide to dress your pet in a costume, please make sure it is lightweight and non-constricting. Don't use rubber bands, as they can constrict blood flow if too tight, can become entangled in an animal's fur, and may even be left mistakenly on the pet. Do not leave him/her in the costume unattended as they could chew it up and ingest harmful materials or become entangled and choke.

* If you are escorting children for trick-or-treating, leave your pets at home. Dogs get can excited and stressed when encountering all these "strange laughing, squealing" creatures and may become agitated enough to snap at a young child. If you must take your dog with you, keep it on a short leash and away from large groups of children and other pets.

* Tell the children not to share their candy with the family pet.  Chocolate can be toxic to animals – causing vomiting, restlessness, heart issues, or even death.  If you think the pet has eaten chocolate, please contact your veterinarian as soon as possible.  Wrappers and lollipop sticks should be discarded into the garbage as they can be hazardous to your pet if swallowed by causing intestinal obstructions and even perforating the intestines, which is life-threatening.

* Be careful with jack-o-lanterns, candles, fake spider webs, and other decorations.  If they ingest the decorations they may become ill, and if they knock over a lit candle they may get burned or start a fire.

Halloween can be a fun day for all of your family members – two and four legged – if everyone remains safe.  Happy Halloween!