The Halloween celebration is approaching in our capital, and although it's a fun date for many families, for our pets it's not a very pleasant event, since we expose them to a lot of noise, many people in costumes and strange appearances, and we even force them to wear costumes that are uncomfortable and unnatural for them — all of these things make our furry friends anxious, irritable, and of course under a lot of stress. We can reduce these conditions through the use of flower essences like the PEACE AND CALM, formula, whose blend helps reduce the stress and anxiety generated by this kind of event.
Ideally, give the drops orally one or two weeks before exposure to the stressful situation — remember, that's 4 drops 6 times a day, or 10 drops mixed into their drinking water daily; in addition to this, it's important to keep the following recommendations in mind.
We know this kind of event is made mainly for children and their families to enjoy; however, our furry friends are now important members of our households, so it's common to find costumes and outfits to dress them up as our favorite superhero, witches, horror characters, or however creative we can get — however, it is NOT a good idea to dress up your pet, since for them it's uncomfortable and quite bothersome. Additionally, some costumes can be dangerous, containing parts that could be torn off and swallowed by your pet, or that could cause choking and intestinal problems — some even have very tight elastic bands that can cause skin problems or restrict blood flow.
Remember that caring for dogs and cats on Halloween is our priority, since their health and calm should come first during these events, which is why candy, chocolate, or sweets should never be given to them, under any circumstance, as these products contain synthetic sugar, theobromine, and xylitol, whose effects are toxic to our furry friends, causing irreversible liver and pancreas damage or leading to severe diabetes. Additionally, in some cases dogs may accidentally swallow wrappers in their eagerness to eat everything, causing gastrointestinal obstructions.
The best thing we can do on Halloween night is keep a close eye on our furry friends and make sure they wear their collar, leash, and tag with their name and your contact information.
As much as possible, keep your pet away from the door. The constant opening and closing of the door, the doorbell sound, or the noise of children asking for candy can be confusing and very stressful. If you want to go out and enjoy the celebration, if possible don't take your furry friend — set aside a calm space away from the noise and commotion for them, or otherwise play relaxing music in the calmest room in the house.
We understand many pet guardians are excited to include them in the fun these dates bring us; however, we advise you to consider whether your furry friend truly enjoys that whole load of stimuli, such as the presence of strangers, excess lights, noise, and the use of certain masks and outfits. Most animals' reaction is to flee out of the fear these stimuli cause them — we don't want them to end up running away or getting lost.
Likewise, we don't want our furry companions to spend the whole time nervous, agitated, and barking nonstop, since obviously we won't be able to enjoy it either.
So let your furry friend stay home, don't force them into uncomfortable costumes, and if you want to give them a nice, fun time, play with them or take them for a walk before nightfall instead of exposing them to all that commotion on Halloween Night. Love and fun are also part of caring for our loyal friends' well-being, so let's avoid humanizing them.
Author: Angie Torres, Veterinarian