The holidays are a time for celebration, but they can also bring a large amount of potentially dangerous foods into your home. Sugary Halloween treats and wintry holiday chocolates could pose a threat to your pet that you may not see coming. Even if your dog or cat is well-trained, some things may prove too tempting. Candy in particular has a strong scent and is often left out unwrapped in accessible spots like bowls, tables, and countertops.
So what should you do if your dog eats candy? The biggest key is to stay calm and figure out how you can best help your pet. We’ve put together a guide for what to do in the event that you come home to find your furry friend rolling around in a pile of candy wrappers.
Prevent Candy Consumption in the First Place
Ideally, you’ll keep potentially dangerous treats far away from your pet. Seal chocolate and other candy in locking containers and shelve the confections high above your pet’s reach, inside a cabinet, pantry, or drawer. Out of sight, out of mind, as they say.
Additionally, make sure everyone–particularly young children–who interacts with your pets knows that they cannot be fed candy. A child might easily be persuaded by soulful “puppy eyes” to drop a few M&Ms or part of a candy bar to the floor. Avoid that dangerous situation by training your pets not to beg and educating all guests about the potential dangers of feeding a dog or cat these kinds of treats.
Figure Out the Type and Amount of Candy Eaten
No one is perfect, and you may find that your enterprising cat or persistant dog has managed to break through your precautions and consume some kind of candy. If this happens, it’s important to react quickly. Pets don’t metabolize chocolate or artificial sweeteners the same way humans do, and eating too much of either substance can make your dog or cat very sick.
The potential danger to your pet depends on a variety of different factors, from breed to weight to the type of candy eaten. A piece of chocolate is less likely to do damage to a 90-pound Golden Retriever than to a tiny toy breed. Take a moment to inspect the scene and determine what kind of candy–and how much of it–your pet has eaten. If you still have the wrapper or packaging with the list of ingredients, keep that handy as you move onto the next step.
Make a Call to Your Vet
While a very small amount of chocolate or sugary candy may not have any lasting effect on your pet, it’s always better to err on the side of caution and make sure you’re taking the proper steps to ensure your pet’s health. Once you have the facts of the situation, give your vet a call. He or she can advise you what to do based on your pet’s breed and individual characteristics. If it’s Thanksgiving or Christmas Day and your vet is out of the office, the answering machine should have an emergency number to call. You can also try a pet poison control hotline for immediate information and help.
Keep Your Pet Healthy From the Start with Wapiti Labs’ Supplements
Figuring out what to do if your dog eats chocolate is undeniably stressful, but the situation can get even trickier if you’re dealing with a pet that’s already unhealthy. A weak pet with prior health conditions can be more susceptible to dangerous foods than a fully healthy cat or dog. Wapiti Labs is dedicated to providing your pet with a strong, vital foundation from the very beginning.
Whether you’ve just brought home a young cat or are seeing your dog through her golden years, we offer a formula that can support a healthy state of being for your pet. Our natural supplements are made with a variety of ingredients such as Elk Velvet Antler and traditional herbs, specially blended to promote your pet’s health. If your dog or cat frequently deals with stomach discomfort, for example, our G.I. Tract supplement can help soothe and protect the G.I. tract and help resolve food stagnation from undigested food.
By combing natural supplements with a passion for animals, Wapiti Labs hopes to provide pets with the best possible quality of life. By promoting your pet’s well-being, we hope to help you enjoy your dog or cat’s companionship for many years to come. Contact us today to learn more about our products and how they can benefit your furry friend.
