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Keep pet costumes simple and avoid putting anything on an animal's face that could obstruct breathing or vision.

(Rose City Veterinary Hospital)

Halloween might be fun for humans, but the holiday can present far more tricks than treats for pets.

Between candy, costumes and the unusual sights and sounds, Halloween can be frightening in a not-so-fun way for our furry and feathered friends.

Here are some of the scariest threats Halloween poses to your pet's health and safety.

Chocolate and candy: You probably know this already, but chocolate is toxic to pets.

It contains theobromine and caffeine, which can stimulate the central nervous system to a degree that can be dangerous or even deadly to dogs. (It's toxic to cats too, but felines are much more finicky than dogs and far less likely to eat it).

"Dogs have a limited capacity to metabolize those chemicals," explains Dr. Ladan Mohammad-Zadeh of DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital. "When they're not metabolized, they'll go on to have toxic effects."

Last year between Oct. 30 and Nov. 1, DoveLewis veterinarians and staff treated 124 patients. The top diagnoses included vomiting, chocolate ingestion, foreign body ingestion, and pain or discomfort – all of which could be caused by chocolate and other Halloween hazards.

The darker the chocolate, the more dangerous it is, so baking and bittersweet chocolate are more harmful than milk chocolate.

Ingestion can cause toxic effects ranging from vomiting, diarrhea and hyperactivity to heart rhythm abnormalities or seizures.

If your dog exhibits any of those behaviors, "You don't need any more information, just bring them in," says Dr. Heidi Houchen of VCA Northwest Veterinary Specialists in Clackamas.

The effects are dose-dependent, and smaller dogs are more at risk of chocolate toxicity. Check an online "chocolate calculator" to see what level of risk your dog faces.

"For a small dog, such as a six-pound Chihuahua, even an ounce of bittersweet chocolate can be very significant," says Dr. Jason Nicholas of Preventive Vet, which helps pet owners prevent emergencies.

Labradors (and not just chocolate ones) are known for being indiscriminate eaters and are at higher risk of consuming more chocolate, Houchen says.

Chocolate wrappers also can be dangerous - they pose choking or suffocation hazards, or the wrapper can cause a digestive obstruction.

Besides chocolate and other candy, you should also keep anything containing the sugar substitute xylitol – usually found in sugar-free gum, candies or baked goods – far away from pets.

Xylitol can trigger a severe and potentially life-threatening decrease in blood sugar quickly after ingestion. Symptoms include weakness, lethargy, collapsing and seizures. In rare cases, dogs may even go into liver failure.

Lastly, those little boxes of raisins can pose big dangers: grapes and raisins are toxic to canines.

"What's healthy for humans isn't healthy for hounds," says Houchen, who once treated a 40-pound dog for kidney failure after the dog ate a small box of raisins.

Costumes: If you plan to dress up your pet, exercise care with the costume.

Costumes containing plastic, rubber or metal pieces could pose choking hazards or get stuck in your dog's stomach, requiring surgery to remove, says Mohammad-Zadeh.

Also avoid putting anything on Fido's face; you don't want to obstruct his vision or make it difficult to breath, Nicholas says.

Other dangers: Keep candles well out of reach of curious cats or dogs, who can singe their whiskers or unwittingly start a fire.

Also make sure to toss your jack-o-lantern once it starts to spoil. Mold and bacteria can make dogs very sick, Nicholas says.

Keep pets inside: If you're expecting trick-or-treaters, keep your pets tucked away in a quiet back room of your home.

They may be spooked by the ringing doorbell or escape when you open the door to hand out candy. Fearful dogs may be triggered by kids in costumes and do something they normally wouldn't - such as bite, Nicholas says.

It's especially important to keep cats indoors on Halloween, even typically outdoor cats. They're more likely to get scared by trick-or-treaters and dash into the street, putting them at risk of being hit by a car or abused by mischief-makers.

Keep them in a bathroom or bedroom rather than a garage, where they could get into antifreeze and other hazardous chemicals, Houchen says.

Equip the room with food, a litter box and toys and a television or radio on for background noise.

Ultimately, keep in mind that Halloween is a human holiday. Pets are happiest when they get to spend quality time with you, not a bunch of strangers in weird masks and outfits.

As Houchen says, "Their holiday is Sunday afternoon when you're watching TV on the couch."

Resources:

If you think your pet may have eaten something he shouldn't have, seek veterinary care or call a poison control center immediately. All numbers listed below are open 24 hours.

DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital: 503-228-7281

VCA Northwest Veterinary Specialists: 503-656-3999

Pet Poison Helpline: 800-213-6680 ($39 incident fee per call).

ASPCA Animal Poison control: (888) 426-4435 ($65 consulation fee may be applied).

--Monique Balas; mbalaspets@gmail.com