Halloween Treats A Danger To Dogs

By Katrina McLachlan

Dog owners who want to avoid making pet insurance claims should be careful what their animal gets fed this Halloween.

Vets are urging people not to feed human treats to their four-legged friends, as chocolate and sweets can sometimes be deadly.

Chocolate contains methylxanthines stimulants, which can make dogs vomit, and can cause diarrhoea, panting, and excessive thirst and urination.

If the chocolate has a higher coco content, it can cause more damage, and in extreme cases leads to hyperactivity, tremors,seizures, and potentially death.

Sweets also pose a danger, with sugarless sweets sweetened with xylitol causing liver damage and death in some dogs.

The problem has been a major issue in the States, where pets are often included in the Halloween festivities and dressed up along with children to go trick or treating.

US vet Nigel Smith said medical centres across the country have dealt with numerous cases of extreme illness causes by dogs eating sweet treats meant for humans.

Kansas State University veterinarian Susan Nelson also said other pets such as cats, ferrets, birds and rats can be made seriously ill by sweets.