Lions, Tigers, and Bears... Oh My! Understanding Your Pet’s Holiday Fears

With that start of fall around the corner, it’s important to keep in mind our pet’s safety when celebrating the holidays, such as Halloween and Thanksgiving.

While Halloween may be an exciting time for you and your family, it can be frightening for our furry friends. From ringing doorbells to scary costumes, the noises and sights of the holiday can cause immense stress in pets. Thanksgiving is also a time we typically celebrate at home and in the presence of our furry friends, so it’s important that if we are indulging them just a bit that they are staying safe and healthy this holiday season. Read below for some tips on how to do just that:

Costumes
A pet’s comfort level should be the main priority when putting them in a costume. Make sure it doesn’t restrict their ability to move, see, breathe, bark or meow. Also ensure there are no small pieces on the costume that they can chew off and possibly swallow. If your furry friend doesn’t like being in a costume, opt for a festive bandana or accessory they don’t mind. If your pet is obviously uncomfortable, do not make them wear a costume.

Trick-or-Treating
If you plan to bring your pet trick-or-treating with you, be sure to keep them away from pumpkins and corn because they can give your pet a stomachache. Also keep in mind not to bring your pet up to the door with your kids, because you never know if someone might be afraid of dogs or have a dog of their own that is near them when they open the door. This can also apply when staying at home and welcoming trick-or-treaters. With so many strangers coming to your door, your pet might become stressed or afraid. In these situations, it’s better to keep them away from the door while answering it to trick-or-treaters.

You should also make sure your pet has proper ID tags and is microchipped in case they get separated from you. Halloween can be a scary and confusing day for your pet, so ensuring they have proper identification will help them be reunited with you in case they become skittish and run off.

Save the BOOS for friends
Halloween can be a frightening time for your pet and not just because of the decorations. Doorbells may cause stress and fear for pets who are not used to the noise, and seeing strange people dressed in costumes can cause our pets to become very scared. If your furry friend isn’t a fan of strangers, we suggest setting up a candy station at the foot of your driveway or on your porch instead of having visitors come to the door. If your pet is normally skittish, Halloween may also be a stressful experience for them. Set up a safe space in your house where they can be secluded from the commotion. This can be done by putting their bed in the room with their favorite toys, a blanket, something that smells like you and some treats to make them feel at ease. If you’re wearing a costume, make sure your furry friend understands it’s you and not an actual monster.

Thanksgiving Day Foods
Another fall holiday that we enjoy celebrating with our pets is Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a great time to give thanks and extra love to your pet, and your dog or cat will inevitably be begging to partake in the big turkey dinner.

Thanksgiving foods that are safe for your dog:
Turkey can be a wonderful lean protein to share with your pet. You will just want to be sure to remove any excess skin or fat, stick with white meat, and make sure there are no bones.
Cranberry sauce is just fine for pets, but watch the amount of sugar in it. It is probably best to only provide a small helping to your pet’s plate or let them lick your spoon.
Plain green beans are a wonderful treat for pets. Fresh vegetables are a great addition to any diet.
Potatoes are a great, filling vegetable to share with your pet. However even though the potatoes themselves are not harmful to pets, be aware of additional ingredients used to make mashed potatoes.
Pumpkin can also be a sweet treat for your pet, but perhaps take a small portion of canned pumpkin out before mixing it into the pumpkin pie filling to avoid extra sugar.

If your pet does happen to eat something they aren’t supposed too, watch out for signs of distress like vomiting or lethargy. While your normal vet office might be closed on Thanksgiving, there are several 24-hour emergency vet clinics.

We want to ensure that while we are enjoying the holidays, we want to ensure that our pets are staying safe and feeling as comfortable as possible! For more holiday pet tips, please visit www.louisianaspca.org.