Halloween concerns and chocolate toxicity, sugar free gum issues.
Halloween brings with it certain concerns for our pets. Most rescue organizations suspend the adoption of black cats during this season for obvious reasons, but any pet can be the victim of a "trick"gone wrong. With Halloween falling on a Saturday, we can expect more late night festivities and the potential for more activity and traffic. We recommend keeping all pets inside Halloween night to keep them safe. Remember, witches, goblins and "balloon boys" ringing the doorbell can be stressful to any pet, as well as providing the opportunity for an ill timed escape. Keep pets behind closed doors , or consider boarding them for a guaranteed ghost and goblin free evening.
Watch candles that pets might knock over.
Treats can be of particular concern; bowls and bags of candy are tempting, but can be deadly.
Chocolate ingestion can cause problems in a number of ways. The high fat and sugar content can induce pancreatitis, a condition that can be very serious and require hospitilization. At the very least, ingestion of large quantities of candy can bring about an unpleasant upset stomach and diarrhea. Theobromine found in chocolate can cause tremors, seizures and even death when ingested in large enough amounts. The amount of theobromine in chocolate products varies and the toxicity is dose dependant. A 50 lb dog would have to ingest 20 oz of milk chocolate to show signs of toxicity, but only 2 1/2 oz of baking chocolate. It takes about 4 days for these componants to clear the dog's system.
A new potential deadly player on the scene is xylitol Xylitol is an artificial sweeter found in many sugar free gums and products. While humans tolerate it well dogs do not. Dogs release excessive insulin after xylitol ingestion, causing blood sugar levels to plummet; weakness, disorientation and seizures can result. Xylitol has also been found to cause liver failure in dogs. A 10 lb dog could show signs of xylitol toxicity after ingesting a stick and a half of gum.
Take a few precautions to keep you pets safe and have a Happy Halloween.
