Halloween Food and Decoration Safety Guide for Pets

We love including our pets in our holiday celebrations! Dressing them up in costumes, trick-or-treating, playing with holiday-themed toys, but it’s important to learn about the dangers associated with the holidays to ensure their safety. Here’s a list of hazardous food and decorations to avoid around your pets:

Xylitol

• Sugar substitute found in gum, mints, candy & baked goods
• 1/8 teaspoon can cause dangerously low blood sugar in dogs
• 1/2 teaspoon can cause liver damage

Chocolate

Natural stimulants in this Halloween staple can cause a range of symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, abnormal heart rhythm & death.

Check out the petMD Chocolate Toxicity Meter to find out if your pet has consumed too much chocolate.

Raisins

May cause a toxic reaction in dogs from vomiting to kidney failure.

Jack-O’-Lanterns & Corn

These fall decorations can cause gastrointestinal upset in large doses.

Candy Wrappers & Lollipop Sticks

Cellophane, plastic & paper sticks can cause gastrointestinal upset or bowel obstruction.

Glow Sticks

Can cause drooling, irritation, agitation & vomiting.

Candles

Hot wax & flames can potentially burn your pet's nose, tongue or tail when within reach.

Alcohol

Sharing these types of beverages can be toxic with symptoms ranging from bloat to respiratory failure.