Recently in xylitol Category

On a serious note:

Halloween can be a stressful time for pets. James Cook, president of the American Veterinary Medical Association, warns pet owners that the masks, costumes and disguises can be confusing and alarming for animals. It could even increase the potential for dog bites, he said.

Not to mention all the treats that can be toxic to our pets.

  

 

This from an Associated Press story:

"Dogs believe they are the guardians of their homes, and they can feel threatened if a stranger enters their space," Cook said.

If your pet is stressed or nervous when the doorbell rings, prepare for trick-or-treaters in advance by finding a safe and comfortable place for your pet.

Warn visitors to be alert and careful not to cause your pooch to panic.

And watch where you put all of that candy: Excessive chocolate can be dangerous for dogs, as well as the artificial sweetener Xylitol.

 

Here are  some more good tips about keeping dogs safe on Halloween.

And some more general Halloween pet tips here.

A personal experience:  I remember walking my dogs years ago in my neighborhood one Halloween night, thinking most of the trick-or-treaters had cleared out. But even those groups that were left roaming the streets really did spook my dogs. They were skittish at all the unfamiliar sights and sounds and smells. And there were candy wrappers everywhere.

It was a short walk.

 

 

Dog park friend Sanam (aka Indi's mom) emailed us with this warning about Xylitol, an ingredient in sugarless gum that can be harmful to dogs.

 Apparently one of those emails is making its way around again that warns of the artificial sweetner. So to check it out, Sanam went to www.snopes.com -- a very handy site that helps us sort out truth from fiction in the Internet age.

While the e-mail is new, the danger it decries isn't: for a number of years, Xylitol has been known to be toxic to dogs. ..... Just three grams of Xylitol (eight to 10 sticks of gum) can kill a 65-pound canine, but a smaller dog could easily die after ingesting far less (perhaps as few as two sticks of gum). 

And the artificial sweetner also can be found in other products, such as candy, baked goods, some chewable vitamins, throat lozenges and even toothpaste.

Read more on the American Veterinary Medical Association web site. 

Thanks Sanam (and Indi).