We had a great time taking pet (and people) photos with Santa the other weekend!  Even though Christmas 2010 is behind us… I thought I would share them with y’all.  Don’t they look wonderful?!!  Thanks to all of our great clients who spent time with Santa! 

Halloween is great fun and excitement for kids and adults, but may be stressful or frightening for your pets. You know your pets best as their owner, but please consider these tips to ensure your pet’s safety.

Repeated visitors in flashy dress and costumes can be unsettling for some pets. They may develop stress-induced diarrhea or even cause themselves injury if crated or otherwise isolated. Keep all of your animals safe and comfortable on Halloween.

Watch your pet’s reaction to strangers in costumes. When animals feel nervous or insecure they can unexpectedly display aggression or skittish behavior, even in normally calm and friendly animals.

Candles and Jack-o’-lanterns within a pet’s range are a fire hazard. Many pets think they might enjoy all of the candy available this time of year. Chocolate, and plastic or cardboard candy-filled toys can be dangerous if ingested.

Keep all of your pets inside around Halloween unless under direct adult supervision. Animals, especially black cats are at a greater risk for cruel treatment by some individuals during this time. Many adoption agencies and humane societies will not allow adoption of black cats around Halloween for this reason.

Trick or Treat?!

Please advise children not to share their goodies with the family pet.

All chocolate is toxic to pets. It is fair to say that a large pet would have to ingest a large quantity of milk chocolate to create a dangerous level of toxicity. But small amounts of baking chocolate or cocoa can easily cause vomiting and diarrhea. Signs of chocolate toxicity include nervousness, tremors, vomiting, diarrhea, increased heart rate, and in severe cases, seizures and death. If you suspect that your pet has eaten chocolate, please contact us immediately.

Other candies also pose a danger if ingested. Any candies with plastic or cardboard parts (lollipops, plastic/candy rings, etc.) can cause intestinal obstruction, which is a life-threatening emergency.

Sometimes we can’t help but dress up our pets in costume for halloween or other holidays. While this is cute for photos, a pet in costume should NEVER be left alone or unsupervised.  Freon is shown below, with a bumble bee costume that actually considers the following tips:

• Tight elastics on costumes can be overlooked if lost in the pet’s hair, leading to swelling and pain in the area of the elastic.
• Other animals, if left alone in costume, may chew it up and swallow it, which may also lead to intestinal obstruction.
• If the costumed pet escapes or is frightened away, the costume could entangle the pet on trees, fences, etc.

With a little awareness and common sense, Halloween can still be a great time for kids and pets alike. If any acts of animal cruelty are seen or suspected, please call your local animal authorities.