Halloween candy and dogs: darker chocolate is worse, check labels for xylitol, bin the wrappers, and call right away

Why this week

• Candy is everywhere. AAHA calls easy access to candy and chocolate the biggest Halloween danger for pets. [S6]
• Don’t share the treats. AVMA’s first Halloween tip is not to feed pets Halloween treats at all. Candy may contain chocolate or xylitol, and you often can’t tell what’s inside by looking. [S5]
• The door keeps opening. Trick-or-treaters mean the front door opens again and again, and AAHA says that gives pets the chance to slip out, get scared and get lost or hurt. [S6]
• It doesn’t end Saturday. Leftover candy stays in bags, bowls and backpacks, and FDA notes some dogs are good at counter surfing. [S1]

Chocolate: the darker, the worse

• What’s toxic. Cocoa contains theobromine and caffeine, stimulants that act on the nervous system and heart. Dogs break them down more slowly than people do, so the effects last longer. Theobromine is the main problem. [S3]
• Darker means more. FDA’s approximate theobromine per ounce: milk chocolate 57 mg, semisweet chips 136 mg, dark chocolate with 70 to 85% cacao 227 mg, and unsweetened baking chocolate 364 mg. FDA calls baking chocolate especially dangerous. [S3] [S4]
• Size matters. FDA says mild signs can start around 9 mg of theobromine per pound of body weight and severe signs around 18 mg per pound. Its own example: 6 ounces of semisweet chips holds 816 mg. For a 60-pound Lab that’s 13.6 mg per pound, likely mild to moderate signs. For a 6-pound Chihuahua it’s 136 mg per pound, severe signs, and possibly death without veterinary care. [S3]
• Signs to watch for. They can show up within a few hours: vomiting, diarrhea, a racing heart, restlessness, hyperactivity, peeing or drinking more, muscle spasms and seizures. Severe cases can kill. The fat and sugar can also bring on pancreatitis. [S3]
• Treat it as an emergency. FDA says if you suspect your dog ate chocolate, consider it an emergency and call your veterinarian right away. Don’t do the math yourself and wait. [S4]
• Cats too, sometimes. Chocolate is most dangerous for dogs, but AAHA says cats are sometimes affected, and FDA warns about chocolate for dogs and cats. [S6] [S4]

Xylitol: the sugar-free trap

• Where it hides. Xylitol sweetens sugar-free gum and candy, including mints and some chocolate bars, plus breath mints, baked goods, cough syrup, chewable vitamins, mouthwash, toothpaste, some peanut and nut butters, supplements like fiber gummies and sleep aids, and sugar-free desserts. [S1] [S2]
• Other names. Look for birch sugar, wood sugar or birch bark extract on the label, too. [S1] [S2]
• Why it’s so fast. In dogs, xylitol triggers a rush of insulin and a sharp drop in blood sugar. FDA says that can happen within 10 to 60 minutes, and its poster says poisoning can start within 20 minutes. AAHA adds it can damage the liver. [S1] [S2] [S6]
• Signs. Usually vomiting first, then weakness, low energy, staggering, trouble walking or standing, collapse and seizures. FDA’s poster also lists coma, liver failure and bleeding problems, and says xylitol poisoning can kill a dog. [S1] [S2]
• Act right away. FDA says to take your dog to your vet or an emergency animal hospital immediately. Serious effects may not show for 12 to 24 hours in some cases, so your dog may need to stay for monitoring. [S1]
• Read the label. FDA’s advice is to check ingredients, especially on anything sold as sugar-free or low sugar, and keep anything with xylitol well out of reach. That includes purses and backpacks: FDA’s own example is a puppy eating sugarless gum out of a handbag. [S1] [S4]
• Cats and ferrets. FDA says xylitol doesn’t seem as dangerous for cats, but ferret owners should be careful. [S1]

Raisins, wrappers, snack bags and glow sticks

• Raisins. AVMA says raisins can make a pet’s kidneys fail, and AAHA says they can cause kidney failure in dogs. [S5] [S6]
• Wrappers. Foil, plastic and wax paper wrappers can get stuck in a pet’s intestines and cause a life-threatening blockage, AAHA says. [S6]
• Snack bags. FDA warns that a dog can put its head into a thin chip or snack bag, breathe in and suffocate. Keep snack bags closed in a cabinet, and throw empty ones into a bin your pets can’t get into. [S4]
• Glow sticks. The liquid tastes bad and can make pets drool a lot or act strangely, though AVMA says it isn’t likely to be harmful. AAHA adds it can irritate the mouth and cause vomiting, and the plastic pieces can cause intestinal problems. [S5] [S6]
• Candles and decorations. Keep lit candles and jack-o’-lanterns out of reach; a pet can knock a lit pumpkin over. Our Halloween candle guide covers flameless lights. [S5] [S6]

If your pet ate something

• First steps. Pet Poison Helpline says to move your pet away from the source and check that your pet is breathing and acting normally. [S8]
• Call right away. Call your vet. If they’re closed, call an emergency animal hospital or an animal poison control center. FDA says this for both xylitol and chocolate. [S1] [S3] [S4]
• ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: (888) 426-4435. Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. A consultation fee may apply. [S7]
• Pet Poison Helpline: 855-764-7661. Open around the clock. It charges a per-incident fee, listed on its site, with follow-up calls included. [S8]
• Don’t try to fix it at home. Pet Poison Helpline says not to give home antidotes, and not to make your pet vomit without talking to a vet or the helpline first. [S8]
• Grab the wrapper. FDA says the type and amount of chocolate and your dog’s size all matter, and xylitol shows up on the label. Having the package and your pet’s weight handy helps whoever you call. [S3] [S1]

Set up the house before the doorbell rings

• Up high or shut away. Keep the candy bowl, the kids’ bags, baking chocolate and sugar-free gum where your dog can’t reach, remembering counter surfers. [S1] [S3]
• A bin they can’t open. Wrappers, empty snack bags and leftovers go into a trash bin your pets can’t get into. [S4] [S6]
• Purses and coats. Ask guests to keep bags off the floor; gum and mints in a handbag count. [S1]
• A gate, crate or closed door. AAHA suggests crates, doors or baby gates during trick-or-treating, and AVMA suggests a room away from the front door for pets that are wary of strangers or may bite. Keep pets indoors. [S5] [S6]
• ID that’s up to date. A microchip, collar and ID tag with current details make it easier to get a lost pet home. [S5] [S6]
• Costumes. If your pet wears one, it should fit, have nothing to chew off, and not block sight, hearing, breathing, the mouth or movement. Never leave a pet in costume alone. [S5] [S6]
• Walking the dog that night? Our walking after dark guide covers reflective bands and a flashlight for evening walks.
• No picks here. No product was tested for this guide, and no bin, gate or brand is ranked or recommended.

Quick decision

Pick what happened to see what the sources say in one place. It doesn’t replace a call to your vet. [S1] [S3] [S8]

Your situation

Pick the one that fits to highlight what the sources say.

Before trick-or-treating starts

Quick answers