It's almost impossible not to give your dog a treat when they sit and stare at you with those big, soulful eyes. As much as you want to, you have to restrain yourself—especially when it comes to Halloween candy.
There are many foods that you should never feed your dog including grapes, raisins, onions, garlic, avocados, alcohol, and xylitol (a sugar substitute found in many sugar-free products). These foods can be toxic and lead to serious health issues.
Another food that is extremely dangerous to give to dogs is chocolate, which can cause symptoms ranging from vomiting and diarrhea to more severe issues like seizures, internal bleeding, and even death.
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While you should always keep your Halloween candy out of your pet's reach, some treats are actually safe for them.
Dog-Safe Peanut Butter Treats: Most dogs go nuts for peanut butter—just make sure it doesn’t have xylitol in it. You can grab some special peanut butter treats made just for dogs!
Pumpkin Treats: Plain canned pumpkin or pumpkin treats made for dogs are a great choice.
Carrot Sticks or Apple Slices: These are awesome natural treats and a healthy swap for candy. Just remember to take out the apple seeds and don’t go overboard.
Store-Bought Halloween Dog Treats: Some brands roll out Halloween-themed dog treats that look like pumpkins or ghosts, and they're made with safe ingredients for your dog to enjoy.
Just because the majority of sweets are bad for your dog doesn't mean they can't enjoy Halloween with the kiddos.
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Gallery Credit: Sophia June
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To prepare yourself for a potential incident, always keep your vet's phone number handy, along with an after-hours clinic you can call in an emergency. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center also has a hotline you can call at (888) 426-4435 for advice.
Even with all of these resources, however, the best cure for food poisoning is preventing it in the first place. To give you an idea of what human foods can be dangerous, Stacker has put together a slideshow of 30 common foods to avoid. Take a look to see if there are any that surprise you.
Gallery Credit: Rachel Cavanaugh
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Does your loyal pup's breed make the list? Read on to see if you'll be bragging to the neighbors about your dog's intellectual prowess the next time you take your fur baby out for a walk. Don't worry: Even if your dog's breed doesn't land on the list, that doesn't mean he's not a good boy–some traits simply can't be measured.
Gallery Credit: Sabienna Bowman
