Dangers of Halloween Candy to Your Pet

Halloween is right around the corner, which means lots of candy for Coral Gables residents! Unfortunately, the increased amount of candy in the household is a danger for pets. The Pet Poison Hotline receives an increased number of phone calls during the week of Halloween due to pets accidentally ingesting chocolate, other Halloween candy, and décor. Here at Coral Gables Animal Hospital, we can provide the necessary urgent vet treatment after your pet has ingested candy. We also want to ensure that pet owners understand how to properly protect their pets from ingestion.

What Candy Is Dangerous to My Pet?

Here are a few of the types of candy that can prove to be harmful to your pet during the Halloween season.

Chocolate

Out of all kinds of candy, chocolate is by far one of the most toxic to animals. As a general rule, the darker the chocolate, the more harmful it is for animals. To put into words just how poisonous chocolate is for dogs, it takes just a single ounce of baker’s chocolate for a 50-pound dog to become incredibly ill.

Therefore, make certain that all chocolate candy at Halloween is well out of reach of all household dogs and cats. If you believe your pet may have ingested even the smallest amount of chocolate, keep an eye out for signs of diarrhea, vomiting, agitation, lethargy, increased thirst, elevated heart rate, as well as seizures.

Sugary Candy

While chocolate may be extremely toxic, other forms of Halloween candy are harmful as well. When pets ingest large amounts of candy high in fat and sugar, it can inflame the pancreas, which can be incredibly painful and potentially fatal. The thing with pancreatitis is that the signs may not appear for a couple of days after the candy ingestion. Therefore, it is imperative to keep an eye out for certain symptoms like diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, lethargy, decreased appetite, kidney failure, or organ damage.

Raisins

Raisins are toxic to cats and dogs as well. It doesn’t take much to result in kidney failure in both dogs and cats. Therefore, you should take the same precautions with raisins as you would with chocolate due to the level of toxicity. Signs of poisoning include decreased appetite, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, lethargy, and kidney failure.

Contact Us for Urgent Vet Care in Coral Gables, FL

If you are concerned that your pet ingested chocolate, raisins, or any other toxic candy this Halloween or any other time of year, contact us at Coral Gables Animal Hospital for urgent treatment. Regardless of whatever condition your pet may be experiencing, our professional staff is dedicated to providing pets the care they need to live happy and healthy lives.  Contact us today to learn more about our quality pet care from our veterinarians serving Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, Palmetto Bay, Pinecrest, Miami Dade County, and South Florida areas.