Chocolate Toxicity and Halloween
Halloween is just around the corner! To ensure pets remain safe and healthy during the festivities, we recommend pet owners take the following precautions.
Pets may find Halloween costumes frightening or become stressed by trick or treaters unexpectedly disrupting their daily routine. To keep everyone safe, consider securing your pet indoors, away from the front door. Costumes may frighten otherwise docile dogs, so it’s best not to approach pets when trick or treating.
While enjoying extra seasonal candy during Halloween and throughout the holiday season, it’s important to remember to store it in a secure location away from pets. Ingestion of chocolate, candy wrappers, certain artificial sweeteners, raisins or large quantities of high-fat candy can all pose hazards for pets.
One of the most common toxicities in dogs is caused by chocolate ingestion, since dogs cannot metabolize chocolate the same way humans do. Smaller ingestion can cause vomiting, diarrhea and pancreatitis, while more severe toxicity can impact the heart and nervous system. The level of toxicity is dependent on the amount and type of chocolate consumed, with dark and bitter chocolates causing more severe illness.
If your dog accidentally ingests chocolate or other concerning candy, it’s important to reach out to a veterinarian or pet poison control hotline immediately. They can help determine if toxicity is a concern and make treatment recommendations as needed.
