Tricks or Treats

TRICKS AND TREATS (NOT TO EAT)

Tasty as they may be, many of the same delicious treats that sate your sweet tooth every October 31st can also be a severe threat to the health of your pet. Here is your Halloween guide to the wide world of candy and its sometimes ghoulish consequences (and we don’t mean cavities).

 

Chocolate

Its actually not the caffeine in chocolate, but a similar compound called theobromine, that is most dangerous.  If eaten in high amounts, symptoms of chocolate toxicity usually appear in 2 to 4 hours. The first things you may notice are restlessness, hyperactivity, excessive panting, increased urination and vomiting. Untreated, these signs will progress to cardiac arrhythmias, seizures, and even coma.  So what do you do if you think your pet has eaten chocolate? Call your vet or an emergency veterinary clinic immediately. Once on the phone the doctor or technician may ask you for more information about the chocolate including what type, how much, and how long ago it was eaten.

The reason is that not all chocolate is created equal. White chocolate contains the least theobromine followed by milk chocolate. Dark chocolate has a little bite more and unsweetened baker’s chocolate the most. Two handfuls of Hershey’s kisses may not be as bad as a can of cocoa powder.

Tips:

  1. Lock chocolate away or put chocolate up high and out of the reach of wandering paws. 
  2. Always assume the dog ate every last morsel (wouldn’t you?)
  3. Just because your dog vomited up chocolate does not mean that they don’t require veterinary care
  4. When talking to the vet, remember to mention any packaging and wrappers that you think may have been eaten. Sometimes they can cause more trouble than the chocolate.

 

Mints

Sure your dog’s breath stinks. Whose doesn’t? But while giving them a breath mint now and then may seem like a good idea, some types can have devastating consequences. Some brands of mints and gums contain the sweetening agent xylitol. When ingested by your pet, it can cause a severe and potentially fatal hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Signs of hypoglycemia can include weakness, lethargy and even seizures.

 Tips:

  1. Check packaging of gums and mints for Xylitol. Keep products containing xylitol well out of your pets reach.
  2. If ever in doubt about the product your animal ate, call your veterinarian immediately.
  3. Safe doggie mints are available at many pet stores
  4. The best way to treat bad breath is regular dental care with veterinary dental cleanings and daily brushing at home.

 

Raisins

Did you ever wonder how that one box of raisins ended up in your bag at the end of a night of trick or treating? Well, even if you don’t want it, don’t give it to your animals as a late night snack.

Raisins when ingested by dogs have the potential for to cause their kidneys to suddenly shut down (acute renal failure). Without the kidneys, toxins that would normally be secreted in urine, build up in the blood. Signs of renal failure include lethargy, not eating, vomiting, increased drinking and urination, or no urination at all. Even if successfully treated, afflicted animal’s usually have life long kidney disease as a result.

Tips

  1. Acute renal failure is a very serious disease and is often fatal. If your animal eats raisins, you should seek veterinary help immediately
  2. Even a few raisins can cause disease. And don’t forget about Raisinets! They have all the raisins with the added power of chocolate on top.
  3. Grapes are equally as toxic and should be treated the same way.
  4. Just go ahead and eat the raisins yourself. Come on….they’re good for you.