 Pets and Halloween
Halloween can be a frightening experience for your pets.
Be aware that black cats and kittens are at serious risk in the last half of October. Keep them inside. Most shelters will
not allow black cats to be adopted during this time.
Keep your pets away from the door and out of hearing of the doorbell during the high traffic of Halloween night.
Don't make it easy for your pet to slip out and become disoriented with those unfamiliar creatures in the neighborhood. Your
normally placid pet may be frightened enough to bite an unsuspecting ghost or goblin who is trying to be friendly.
Even if you know your pet will be confined, his or her tags or other identification are essential Halloween wear.
Lock your gates if your dog must stay outside.
The "trick" may be on you.
Candy, and especially chocolate, is not healthy for pets. Keep all sweets out of your pet's way.
If your pet does eat chocolate, watch for vomiting or restlessness, and call your veterinarian for advice.
A wrapper around the candy won't deter your pet, and might get stuck in the animal's throat, or cause stomach upset.
Sticks on candy apples or lollipops may be swallowed and cause an obstruction or perforation of your pet's stomach or bowels.
If you dispose of left-over candy, make sure it is pet proof.
Protect Your
Black Cats on Halloween
 While October may be the favorite month of thousands of humans, who excitedly plan their costumes of spooks, vampires and
monsters, in anticipation of Halloween, cats, particularly black cats, have little cause for celebration of this month.
Indeed, if left outdoors, these innocents are subject to meeting monsters of a different kind: sadistic humans who would love
nothing better than to get their hands on a black cat for a ritualistic sacrifice. Sadly, every year at this time, we hear
more and more stories about cats being victimized in such a manner. The perpetrators of these obscene crimes range from
free-roaming gangs of youths, caught up in pseudo-Satanism, and eager to dabble in the occult, to serious adult practitioners
of the "black arts." Regardless of the source, the pain and suffering of the victim is equally horrendous.
The threat to black cats on Halloween has become so prevalent that many shelters and humane societies refuse to allow
adoption of black cats during the entire month of October. Lacking this previously easy source of victims, Satanists and
other sadists look to the streets for their sacrificial cats.
Keep Them Indoors
It is best to keep all cats indoors during the month of October, regardless of their color, but
especially if they happen to be black. Even though there may be no cultists in your neighborhood or community, the sheer
numbers of people out and about on Halloween, along with increased vehicular traffic make the outdoors a frightening and
unsafe place for small furry creatures.
In addition, on Halloween night and the weekend before, you'll be wise to keep your cats locked inside an interior room in
the house, lest they panic and slip out when hobgoblins come to your door. Enjoy your holiday while saving your kitty from
unnecessary stress.
 Chocolate is
Dangerous for Pets
Give chocolate to loved ones, and you could end up poisoning them. That is, if the loved ones are your pets.
Even small amounts of theobromine, an ingredient in chocolate, can cause vomiting and restlessness in pets. Larger doses can
be fatal. While most pet owners expect a dog to develop an upset stomach after eating a large amount of chocolate, few
realize its toxic potential.
The lethal dose of theobromine depends on the size of the dog and the type of chocolate. Ounce for ounce, baking chocolate
has six to nine times as much of the substance as milk chocolate does.
Estimates of the smallest amounts that can be fatal are:
- 4 to 10 ounces of milk chocolate or 1/2 to 1 ounce of baking chocolate for small dogs, such as Chihuahuas and toy poodles.
- 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of milk chocolate or 2 to 3 ounces of baking chocolate for medium-sized dogs, like cocker spaniels and
dachshunds.
- 2 to 4 1/2 pounds of milk chocolate or 4 to 8 ounces of baking chocolate for large dogs, including collies and Labrador
retrievers.
Cats have much different eating habits and seldom are poisoned by chocolate.
While a very small amount of chocolate may not harm some dogs, it's safest to avoid giving it to them at all. If an accident
occurs, a veterinarian should be consulted. Treatment may require inducing vomiting, stabilizing the animal's heartbeat and
respiration, controlling seizures and slowing the absorption of theobromine. If the animal already is comatose, its stomach
may need to be pumped.
Understanding Your Pet's Bloodwork
 "CBC, chem seven, stat!" This may sound familiar if you watch such popular television dramas as ER, Chicago Hope, and
Emergency Vets. But do you know what the terms mean? Blood tests help doctors determine causes of illness accurately, safely
and quickly and let them monitor the progress of medical treatments.
To help you understand your pet's test results, this guide explains common tests. If you have any questions, ask
your vet and they will be glad to answer any questions.
(CBC) - Complete Blood Count
This is the most common blood test performed on pets and people. A CBC gives information on hydration status, anemia,
infection, the blood's clotting ability, and the ability of the immune system to respond. This test is essential for pets
with fevers, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, pale gums, or loss of appetite. If your pet needs surgery, a CBC can detect
bleeding disorders or other unseen abnormalities.
HCT (hematocrit) measures the percentage of red blood cells to detect anemia and dehydration.
HB and MCHC (hemoglobin and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration) are the oxygen-carrying pigments of red blood cells.
WBC (white blood cell count) measures athe body's immune cells. Increases or decreases indicate certain diseases and
infections.
GRANS and L/M (granulocytes and lymphocytes/monocytes) are specific types of white blood cells.
EOS (eosinophils) are specific type of white blood cells that may indicate allergic or parasitic conditions.
PLT (platelet count) measures cells that form blood clots.
RETICS (reticulocytes) are immature red blood cells. High levels indicate regenerative anemia.
FIBR (fibrinogen) is an important clotting factor. High levels may indicate a dog is 30 to 40 days pregnant.
Blood Chemistries
These common blood serum tests evaluate organ function, electrolyte status, hormone levels and more. They are important in
evaluating older pets, pets with vomiting and diarrhea or toxin exposure , pets receiving long-term medications
and health before anesthesia.
ALB (albumin) is a serum protein that helps evaluate hydration, hemorrhage, and intestinal, liver and kidney disease.
ALKP (alkaline phosphatase) elevations may indicate liver damage, Cushing's disease, and active bone growth in young pets.
This test is especially significant in cats.
ALT (alanine aminotransferase) is a sensitive indicator of active liver damage but doesn't indicate the cause.
AMYL (amylase) elevations show pancreatitis or kidney disease.
AST (aspartate aminotransferase) increases may indicate liver, heart or skeletal muscle damage.
BUN (blood urea nitrogen) indicates kidney function. An increased blood level is called azotemia and can be caused by kidney,
liver, and heart disease, urethral obstruction, shock, and dehydration.
Ca (calcium) deviations can indicate a variety of disease. Tumors, hyperparathyroidism, kidney disease, and low albumin are
just a few of the conditions that alter serum calcium.
CHOL (cholesterol) is used to supplement diagnosis of hypothyrodism, liver disease, Cushing's disease and diabetes mellitus.
Cl (chloride) is an electrolyte often lost with vomiting and Addison's disease. Elevations often indicate dehydration.
Cortisol is a hormone that is measured in tests for Cushing's disease (the low-dose dexamethasone suppression test) and
Addison's disease (ACTH stimulation test).
CREA (creatinine) reveals kidney function. This test helps distinguish between kidney and non-kidney causes of elevated BUN.
GGT (gamma glutamyl transferase) is an enzyme that indicates liver disease or corticosteroid excess.
GLOB (globulin) is a blood protein that often increases with chronic inflammation and certain disease states.
GLU (glucose) is blood sugar. Elevated levels may indicate diabetes mellitus. Low levels can cause collapse, seizures or
coma.
K (potassium) is an electrolyte lost with vomiting, diarrhea or excessive urination. Increased levels may indicate kidney
failure, Addison's disease, dehydration and urethral obstruction. High levels can lead to cardiac arrest.
LIP (lipase) is an enzyme that may indicate pancreatitis.
Na (sodium) is an electrolyte lost with vomiting, diarrhea, and kidney and Addison's Disease. This test helps indicate
hydration status.
PHOS (phosphorus) elevations may indicate liver or hemolytic disease. This test helps identify bile duct problems and certain
types of anemias.
TP (total protein) indicates hydration status and provides additional information about the liver, kidneys, and infectious
diseases.
T4 (thyroxine) is a thyroid hormone. Decreased levels often signal hypothyroidism in dogs, while high levels indicate
hyperthyroidism in cats.
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