The hidden Halloween menace that could kill your dog in minutes
Soon all those witches and goblins will be ringing your door bell yelling “Trick or Treat!”
And while it may be fun to give out candy to the neighborhood kids (at least for the first three hours!), there are some members of the family who don’t like Halloween one bit.
In fact, where our pets are concerned it’s the second most dangerous day of the year.
But aside from all from all those things that go bump in the night, there’s something that can be especially scary — even deadly — for our furry family members.
And it only takes a moment of inattention to put them in jeopardy.
More tricks than treats
Halloween is definitely not a pet-friendly holiday!
Your pup or kitty can easily get out the door, spooked by all the scary faces and costumes coming to your house.
Then there are the treats you’re giving out. I’m sure you’ve heard quite a bit about the danger chocolate poses to dogs.
It contains a stimulant called theobromine, something especially found in the dark varieties.
And even the smaller Halloween-size bars can make your pup sick — especially if he’s just a little guy.
But there can be something else in those treats that is even more dangerous to your dog.
Anything containing the sweetener xylitol can be deadly for Fido. It can kill quickly — and it doesn’t take a lot, either. And unfortunately xylitol can now be found in more sugar-free products than ever before.
Just ask Debby about her little bulldog Raisin who ate some Orbit gum that had fallen out of her purse. Raisin spent two days at the vet hospital and barely squeaked by with his life.
Luna, a two-year old golden retriever wasn’t so lucky. He got into a package of Ice Breakers gum that damaged his liver so badly he didn’t survive.
Xylitol can immediately cause a sudden and dangerous drop in a dog’s blood sugar. That can happen in as little as ten minutes depending on how much was eaten. It can also shut down your pooch’s liver, which is why it’s so important to get vet help immediately.
As Raisin’s owner said, she “never dreamed the extent and seriousness” of what xylitol can do to a pup. And she credits the fact that Raisin was rushed to the vet hospital without delay for his still being alive.
And that’s vital where xylitol and dogs are concerned.
Symptoms of xylitol poisoning include:
lethargy,
staggering, tremors and other signs of low-blood sugar,
seizures, and
vomiting
But if you observe your pup eating anything with xylitol in it, don’t wait for symptoms to start. This is a life-threatening emergency and you need to get your dog to a veterinarian immediately.
Certainly the worry about xylitol doesn’t end with Halloween. As I said, it’s turning up in more products than ever. So here are three tips to keep your best friend safe:
Check the labels of all sugar-free foods in your home — and purse!
Watch out for peanut butter that contains the sweetener. Pups love peanut butter and many people put it on dog bones as a treat.
Xylitol dangers go beyond candy and gum. Since this sweetener is sold in bulk for cooking, it’s used in pies, cakes and other treats that Fido might sneak a bite of.
While xylitol is just as toxic to cats, they’re typically much fussier about what they eat. But that doesn’t mean a curious kitty might not try something different, so watch out for similar symptoms with felines, too.
And before All Hallows’ Eve rolls around, if your pets aren’t microchipped yet, it’s a good idea to get it done. It will provide all of their contact information when scanned, including your phone number.
Sources:
“Keeping pets safe on Halloween” October 14, 2016, Santa Barbara Independent, independent.com
