Halloween brings a predictable wave of calls to pet poison lines, and almost all of it comes down to three things: a bowl of candy within reach, a door that opens a hundred times, and new objects your pet has never seen before. A little setup in the afternoon keeps the evening fun for everyone. If you know or suspect your dog or cat ate something they should not have, call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 right away, before any signs appear.
The candy bowl: what matters most
Pet Poison Helpline names chocolate, eating too much candy, raisins, and candy wrappers as the four most common food problems it hears about at Halloween. In one year it logged more than 1,100 calls about chocolate, and 98 percent of them involved dogs, which tells you who is doing the counter surfing.
Chocolate. Every kind can be dangerous to dogs and cats, and the ASPCA singles out dark and baking chocolate as the most concerning. The darker the chocolate, the smaller the amount that causes trouble, so a few squares of a dark bar matter more than a milk chocolate wrapper. See the full answers for Chocolate and dogsToxic and Dark Chocolate and dogsEmergency.
Sugar-free candy and gum. Many sugar-free sweets use xylitol. Pet Poison Helpline's toxicologists describe it as extremely toxic and potentially deadly for dogs: it can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar, and larger amounts can damage the liver hours or days later. Check the labels on the gum and mints in your own bag and coat pockets too, not only the trick-or-treat haul. Xylitol (Sugar-Free Gum/Candy) and dogsEmergency
Raisins. Small boxes of raisins show up in candy bags every year. Grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure in dogs, and there is no amount known to be safe. Raisins and dogsEmergency
Wrappers. Dogs rarely unwrap candy before they eat it. Pet Poison Helpline warns that foil and cellophane wrappers can cause a life-threatening blockage in the gut that sometimes needs surgery.
Glow sticks, decorations, and small parts
Glow sticks and glow jewelry are more of a cat problem than a dog problem. When Pet Poison Helpline looked at two years of glow stick cases, about two thirds involved cats, who find the bright tubes irresistible to chew. The liquid inside is usually not dangerous, but it tastes very bitter, so a cat who bites one may drool heavily, foam at the mouth, and race around the room. The ASPCA suggests offering a small treat or a little milk to help clear the taste. If your cat seems distressed or the drooling does not settle, call your veterinarian.
Fake cobwebs, small plastic toys, and costume accessories are choking and blockage hazards for both species, so keep them above pet height. The ASPCA notes that small plastic pieces can also be toxic if chewed.
Costumes that your pet actually enjoys
Plenty of pets are happy in a costume and plenty are not, and it is worth finding out before the big night. The ASPCA's guidance comes down to four checks:
- The costume does not limit movement, sight, breathing, or the ability to bark or meow.
- There are no dangling or loose pieces that could be chewed off and swallowed.
- Your pet wears it for a short trial run first, with treats, so the outfit is not a surprise on the night.
- If your pet freezes, tries to rub it off, or hides, skip it. A festive bandana gives you the photo without the stress.
The front door
The doorbell may ring dozens of times, with strangers in masks on the step. For many dogs and cats that is the most stressful part of the night, and an open door is how pets slip out and get lost.
A calm plan works better than managing it in the moment:
- Set up a quiet room away from the door with water, a bed, and something to chew or a puzzle feeder, and settle your pet there before the first knock.
- Keep cats indoors for the evening, and walk dogs before dark on a secure leash with a reflective collar.
- Make sure every pet is wearing a collar with a current ID tag, and check that microchip details are up to date. The ASPCA calls pet ID "a lifesaver" for finding a lost pet on Halloween.
If your dog struggles with loud or sudden noises, the same approach from our guide to calming a dog during fireworks and storms works well here.
Keep the list where you can see it
Our free two-page pet poison fridge sheet lists every food and plant marked toxic or emergency for dogs and cats, with the poison control number printed on both pages. It is worth putting up before the candy comes into the house.