With Halloween and Trick or Treat upon us and the rest of the holiday season quickly approaching, it is important for us to keep in mind that while we may love all things spooky, sparkly, and in costume our pets may feel differently.
Keeping Walks Stress-Free During Spooky Season
Halloween is my favorite season and one of my favorite things this time of year are all of the interior and exterior decorations. I love all things creepy, spooky, and a little odd! The more extravagant your outdoor set up is, the better! However, even more subtle decorations can be worrisome for some of our pets. We recommend keeping a close eye on how your dogs are behaving on their walks. Skeletons, ghosts blowing in trees, inflatable creatures, and flashing lights can lead to anxiety or unsettled nerves. This can be particularly true for pets with anxiety, senior pets, and those with vision impairments. If your dog is seeming nervous on their walks, try walking them during a brighter time of day or in an area with fewer decorations.
Creating a Safe Space for Your Pet This Halloween
This time of year is also not only filled with changes in interior and exterior decor but also visitors coming to and from the house. During Trick or Treat, if your pet is triggered by the doorbell ringing, children, costumes, or all of the above we recommend setting up a quiet area for them where they feel safe and have the option to escape to. In these areas you may want to keep their favorite toys readily available, use calming music or white noise to muffle outside noise, use enrichment items such as puzzle toys with treats to provide positive reinforcement, and use plug in calming pheromones. If your dog feels safe in a crate, this may be done in their crate. However, if they have not been conditioned to a crate we do not recommend doing this around the holiday time and instead, would recommend setting up a safe space in a room they feel comfortable in. Some dogs benefit from wearing compression shirts as well.
Additionally, if you know that your pet experiences heightened stress around the holidays, please let us know so that we can make sure they have anti-anxiety medications if needed. This type of enrichment can be extended not just during Halloween but throughout the holiday season.
Keeping Your Pets Safe from Holiday Hazards
Another key measure to take to ensure your pets safety through the holiday season is to keep them away from candy, the dining table, and left overs. The treats we love to indulge in this time of year are often toxic to our pets. This includes chocolate, xylitol (a sweetener), and macadamia nuts. We do not recommend giving table scraps because they can be high in salt, fat, and sugar. Please cover electrical cords and try your best to keep cats away from ornaments and holiday lights. Trust, I know how hard this can be but we have to try our best for them. Every year, Annie, our spicy goofy orange cat, has – despite my husband and my best efforts – broken multiple ornaments and knocked over many Christmas trees!
Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have questions about your pet’s emotional and physical safety over the holiday season. We are here to support you.
Dr. Danielle Carey
Union Pet Hospital