When thinking of Halloween what comes to mind? Most people would say one of two things...candy or pumpkins. While everyone knows that candies and chocolates can be harmful to your dog what about the other halloween tradition? That is right, the Halloween tradition of carving pumpkins can be fun for you and your children but can prove to be deadly for your pets.
Halloween Tradition That Is Deadly For Pets
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Andrew Leal, a pet professional and CEO of pet insurance company Waggel shared some interesting facts about a holiday treat that can be dangerous to pets. You guessed it, pumpkins. Although carving them is a great time, leaving them around the house for your pet to get a hold of can prove to be deadly.
You may be thinking, "But I have given my dog pumpkin before and they seemed alright?" Well, Andrew Leal has the answer for that as well. He stated, "Domestic dogs can consume pumpkin in certain forms - ideally skinned and chopped, baked, or turned into puree."
Leal continued on by sharing the benefits of pumpkin with The Sun. He stated, "Pumpkin is actually a good source of fibre and trace elements, and it's been found to aide doggy digestion." So if it has all of these benefits what is the problem?
It turns out that certain parts of the pumpkin can be unsafe for your furry friends.
How Pumpkins Can Be Dangerous
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Although certain parts of the pumpkin are beneficial for pets, like dogs, other parts can be deadly for pets. For example, The Sun shares that "Pumpkin skin can be a choking hazard for small dogs and puppies." Additionally, it can "block the stomach and intestines."
Furthermore, the stems and leaves are dangerous as well. That is because they are "Covered in tiny, prickly hairs." Those hairs can "aggravate the mouth during mastication, the throat on the way down, and the stomach once swallowed."
So, how does this affect the family-favorite Halloween tradition. If you think there is even the slightest chance that your dog would be interested in chomping on your Jack-o-Lantern, be sure to keep it out of their reach. Additionally, you should remove all leaves and stems from your pumpkins.
You can still carve your pumpkins this year, just keep your fur baby's well being in mind.
