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HALLOWEEN!!!!

It is almost Halloween and Neighborhood Pet Clinic wants you to have a wonderful and safe celebration! It is fun to dress your 4-legged friends in costumes and show them off, but as you celebrate beware of some of the hazards that around Halloween.

Chocolate
Many dogs are attracted to the smell of chocolate. However, we do not want our pets eating chocolate. The chemical that is of concern in chocolate is called methylxanthine. The darker the chocolate, the more toxic it is. Keep all chocolate up and put away where your pets cannot reach to avoid temptation! If you think your dog or cat may have ingested chocolate call your veterinarian. Watch for symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, agitation, increased thirst and in severe cases, seizures.

Candy
Large amounts of sugary, high fat candy can cause stomachaches and even more serious conditions like pancreatitis in our pets. Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas. It is a very painful condition and can even be fatal. Symptoms can show up quickly, or be delayed by 2-4 days after ingestion of the candy. If your pet shows symptoms such as loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy or abdominal pain, contact your veterinarian.

Candy Wrappers
Ingestion of foil and cellophane wrappers can cause partial or complete bowel obstructions. Sometimes medical management can get these to pass if the obstruction is partial. If there is a complete obstruction, the pet might need a surgery to remove all the foreign material. Symptoms can be similar to what is seen from the chocolate and candy ingestion: vomiting, loss of appetite, or inability/straining to have a bowel movement.

Glow Sticks
Some pets enjoy chewing on plastic toys. Glow sticks can be tempting for our pets to chew on because they can look like toys. Keep our pets away from them because they can be irritating to the mucous membranes of the mouth and can burn the eyes if the contents are released. Also, the plastic, if ingested, can become a problem!

Costumes
When dressing your pet in a costume, be sure it does not limit your pet’s movement or impair vision. Do not put on something that is too tight and try not to have pieces/beads that could be chewed or swallowed!

Neighborhood Pet Clinic wishes you and your 4-legged pets a fun and spooky Halloween!!