It's a time of year that can be a ton of fun but it's also a peak time for calls to the pet poison help-line.
We talked to Veterinarian Rick Nelson about some of the dangers that can creep up on you during the Halloween season. We all know cats and especially dogs will eat just about anything, including candy. And a Halloween staple, chocolate, poses one of the biggest Halloween threats to dogs.
Dogs are attracted to the smell of it, making it a hazard. Dr. Nelson warns, many kinds of candy and sweets can also be poisonous, causing pancreatitis.
"If it contains xylitol you need to talk with your veterinarian or call the emergency clinic immediately, and you should always have peroxide on hand to induce vomiting in dogs," says Dr. Nelson.
Even those little boxes of raisins are poisonous for them too, and of course, grapes. You should keep all these things stored in secure containers. Also a reminder when it comes to costumes, body costumes are ok, but you probably want to stay away from headpieces.
Make sure there are no metallic beads, snaps, or other small pieces the animals can ingest. Those often contain zinc and lead and can result in poisoning.
