Here’s What Halloween Treats To Avoid Feeding Your Dog
As Halloween approaches, you’re probably heading to the stores, looking for candy that yourself and potential trick-or-treaters can enjoy. However, if you own a dog, you should also be careful of the candy you purchase and if Fido’s able to get a hold of it or not. Several candies can be potentially toxic to canines, and now is a prime time for those to be consumed. If you’re a dog owner, definitely be wary of the following Halloween treats getting near your pooch.
Foodbeast sat down with Dr. Gary Richter, veterinary expert with pet-sitting business Rover.com, to go into detail about what types of candies to avoid letting your canine getting into.
For Dr. Richter, the three most crucial ingredients to keep dogs away from are raisins, chocolate, and xylitol.
Raisins and Grapes
Raisins and grapes can actually cause acute kidney failure in dogs, which can lead to serious health consequences. The cause of this toxicity is unknown, but regardless, it’s best to avoid those in your treats altogether this year.
All Chocolate
Additionally, Dr. Richter emphasized the importance of keeping chocolate away from dogs. Chocolate contains a compound called theobromine that dogs cannot handle. “The darker the chocolate, the more theobromine exists,” Dr. Richter said, but also emphasized that the amount of chocolate eaten and the size of your dog also matter a lot.
Xylitol
Xylitol is a sugar alcohol that can lead to low blood sugar, seizures, and even liver failure in dogs. It’s found across several gums, like Juicy Fruit and Orbit, and can be in several low-sugar candy brands as well, such as Dr. John’s hard candies.
Macadamia Nuts
Another ingredient to watch out for, according to Dr. Richter, is macadmia nuts. Canines are the only ones that are toxic to this nut, and it can cause everything from fever and vomiting to depression. Chocolate-covered macadamia nuts, which can be popular this time of year, should be kept well out of reach of dogs as a result.
Honestly, it’s best if your dog doesn’t consume any candy at all. Even those treats that aren’t health treats can still be problematic, Dr. Richter says. “Any ingestion of candy in quantities more than 10 grams is considered unsafe for dogs. To help with visualizing that amount, a Jolly Rancher hard candy is about 6 grams.”
Thus, no matter what dogs are toxic or not toxic too, the best thing you can do for your best friend this Halloween is to keep the candy as far away as possible. While your dog may not appreciate having food being hidden from them, it’ll be worth it, trust me.
