Orchard Vet's Blog

Halloween Hazards for Pets

29/08/2024

As the seasons change so do the hazards to our pets – here are some things to look out for this autumn

Darker evenings

As the evenings get darker earlier you may want to consider LED collars, leads or harnesses for your dogs to ensure they can be seen in the dark. Cats are harder to spot by drivers, so make sure they have reflective collars or maybe even consider keeping them indoors during the darker hours.

Antifreeze

Antifreeze contains Ethylene glycol which is a sweet-tasting chemical that can cause fatal damage if ingested. The first signs of intoxication may be that your pet appears ‘drunk’ up to 12 hours after ingestion. There may also be drooling, vomiting, lack of appetite and excessive or very little urination.

Ingestion of antifreeze can result in kidney failure. If you believe that your pet has ingested antifreeze call us immediately as the prognosis becomes less good the longer the delay between ingestion and initiation of treatment.  

Conkers and acorns

Ingestion of conkers or acorns can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and sometimes intestinal blockages. Exposure to acorns in dogs is common in the autumn and winter with signs including vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and lethargy.  Conkers contain a chemical called aesculin, and acorns contain gallotannin both of which are toxic to dogs and can liver and kidney damage.

If you think your dog has eaten conkers call us straight away.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms along your daily walk are a sign that Autumn has officially arrived! Be extra careful if your pooch is sniffing in leaves along your walks, as some mushrooms and fungi can be toxic to your dog.  Some mushrooms can cause kidney and liver failure if swallowed. Even some fungi experts (mycologists) find it difficult to tell which mushrooms are poisonous so it’s best to keep your dog away from wild varieties

Fireworks

As well as causing stress, fireworks can scare cats and dogs into running onto busy roads. Try to soundproof your house on bonfire night and keep windows and doors closed when fireworks are going off. You could also consider building them a den and playing calming music when fireworks are going off. For particularly anxious pets, call us as early as possible to discuss options available to you.

Fallen Leaves

It can be tempting for dogs to play in mounds of fallen leaves, but hidden branches or sticks can cut dogs. As leaves rot, they can contain bacteria which can lead to stomach upsets if your dog ingests any leaf mould.

Ticks

Although ticks are active throughout the year, they’re more commonly found in spring and autumn. Unlike fleas, ticks aren’t jumpers – instead they climb or drop on your pet's coat when they brush past them. Cats and dogs can get ticks, though cats are less likely to get them than dogs.

Ticks can carry diseases, such as Lyme disease, which can be passed on to humans too. Symptoms of Lyme disease include; loss of appetite, fever, depression, lameness and lethargy.

To stop ticks from biting your pet its important to keep them up to date with their flea and worming treatment. There are a number of treatments available, so give us a call to find out what’s best for your pet. If you spot a tick on your pet you can use a tick removal tool to get rid of it. When removing a tick, don’t squeeze the body, or leave the head in and, if you’re not confident to remove the tick yourself, one of our nurses can do this for you.

Halloween

Consider taking your dog for a walk early to avoid groups of trick-or-treaters, and consider keeping cats indoors once it gets dark. At home, a safe den away from the door so pets can retreat should trick-or-treaters come knocking on your door. Be mindful of pumpkin placement to avoid any accident that could cause fire or burns, and make sure to throw your pumpkin away before it gets mouldy.

Though it may be tempting to share your Halloween haul with your furry best friend chocolate is highly toxic for dogs, cats and rabbits. Ingestion can cause diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain and even seizures. In extremely rare cases chocolate ingestion can result in heart failure, coma or even death.

If you think your pet has eaten chocolate call us immediately. It’s handy to keep the packaging too as it will help our vets establish the amount of toxin ingested.