The arrival of Halloween
brings fun parties, trick-or-treaters,
and lots of delicious candies. However,
some of the same goodies and decorations
we humans are fond of can be potentially
hazardous to our pets. The ASPCA Animal
Poison Control Center is offering pet
owners some helpful hints to keep their
pets healthy and safe during Halloween.
Halloween treats with chocolate are not
appropriate for pets. Depending on the
dose ingested, chocolate (bakers, semi
sweet, milk and dark) can be potentially
poisonous to many animals. In general,
the less sweet the chocolate, the more
toxic it could be. In fact, unsweetened
baking chocolate contains almost seven
times more theobromine as milk
chocolate. Vomiting, diarrhea, seizures,
hyperactivity and increased thirst,
urination and heart rate can be seen
with the ingestion of as little as 1/4
ounce of baking chocolate by a 10-pound
dog.
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Candies and gum containing large amounts of the
sweetener xylitol can also be toxic to pets, as ingestions of
significant quantities can produce a fairly sudden drop in blood sugar,
resulting in depression, incoordination and seizures. Be sure to keep
such products well out of the reach of your pets.
Keep aluminum foil and cellophane candy wrappers
away from pets. They can cause vomiting and could even produce
intestinal blockage.
Keep your pet on its normal diet. Any change of
diet, even for one meal, may give your dog or cat severe indigestion and
diarrhea. This is particularly true for older animals that have more
delicate digestive systems and nutritional requirements.
Never offer or allow your pets to access alcoholic
beverages. Place unattended drinks where pets cannot reach them. If
ingested, the animal could become very ill and weak and may go into a
coma, possibly resulting in death from respiratory failure.
Halloween decorative plants such as pumpkins and
decorative corn are considered to be relatively non-toxic, yet they can
potentially cause gastrointestinal upset and may even result in
intestinal blockage as well if large pieces are ingested.
Keep wires and cords from electric lights and other
decorations out of the reach of your pets. If chewed, your pet could
experience damage to its mouth from shards of glass or plastic, or
receive a possibly life-threatening electrical shock.
Liquid potpourri, commonly used to add pleasant
scent to the home during certain holidays, can be hazardous to pets.
Potentially severe damage to the mouth, skin and eyes could result from
exposure to both heated and cool liquid product.
If you suspect your pet may have become exposed to
a potentially toxic product or substance, contact your local
veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center immediately for
assistance.
About the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center
Since 1978, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center has been the premier
animal poison control center in North America. The center, an allied
agency of the University of Illinois, is the only facility of its kind
staffed by 25 veterinarians including 9 board-certified toxicologists
and 14 certified veterinary technicians. Located in Urbana, Ill., the
specially trained staff provides assistance to pet owners and specific
analysis and treatment recommendations to veterinarians pertaining to
toxic chemicals and dangerous plants, products or substances 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week. In 2005, the center handled more than 100,000 cases.
In addition, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center provides extensive
veterinary toxicology consulting on a wide array of subjects including
legal cases, formulation issues, product liability, regulatory reporting
and bio surveillance. To reach the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center,
call 1-888-426-4435. For more information on the ASPCA Animal Poison
Control Center visit www.aspca.org/apcc .
For more information, also visit
petplace.com |
Lakeland
Veterinary Hospital