By Dr. Jeff Werber

Dr. Jeff explains how to keep your pets safe, calm and free from danger this Halloween.

· Candy is meant to attract, and it does. Candy isn’t good for dogs, and can actually be deadly. Still, dogs will happily eat whatever candy they can get their paws on. And because they can’t unwrap it, they’ll gobble up the wrapper too.

· Sugar isn’t good for a dog, but dark chocolate can result in serious illness or death. Fatty chocolate and candies can also predispose dogs to pancreatitis. Raisins can cause death, and many nuts are also dangerous if ingested.

· If your dog snatches a candy or two, it’s probably not cause for alarm, but if she gets into a big bag, she may end up in the hospital.

· And the wrappers, string, sticks that accompanied the candy may cause a blockage that requires medical attention.

· Stream of visitors and continuous ringing of the doorbell can be stressful and confusing to a dog; protective instinct is over-triggered; costumes and masks may freak out a dog. Reactive behaviors could range from fear, anxiety, aggression, escape attempts, which are likely to be successful due to the frequently opening door.

· If you know your dog is nervous, keep him or her contained in a part of the house that’s as far as possible from the action. Even a normally calm dog may be overwhelmed by the activity and prefer to be contained in a secure environment. This also prevents your dog from getting out.

· There are calming formulas, which are herbal, natural formulas and which can help to keep your dog relaxed in this type of stressful situation.

· And if you are tempted to take your dog along with your family as you “trick or treat,” please be aware that these same considerations apply (noise, crowds, costumed kids).

– Dr. Jeff Werber has dedicated his life to the care and protection of animals. A renowned veterinarian and pet parenting specialist, Dr. Jeff maintains that pets are more than just companions; they are part of the family and deserve to be treated that way. A top graduate of the University of California Davis Veterinary School, Dr. Jeff established his Los Angeles-based private clinic, Century Veterinary Group, in 1988. Dr. Jeff cares for the pets of Hollywood’s biggest stars, including Britney Spears, Julia Roberts, Ben Affleck, Eddie Murphy, Paula Abdul, Rod Stewart, Mark Wahlberg, Patrick Dempsey, Mandy Moore, Jennifer Love Hewittand many more – along with those of everyday pet owners. He is a highly sought after and frequent guest speaker on a number of national news programs and has lent his expertise on Dr. Oz, CBS’ The Early Show and Sunday Morning, CNN Sunday Morning, Fox News Channel and Rachael Ray. As an Emmy Award winning veterinarian, he has hosted the wildly popular Petcetera on Animal Planet Network, sharing his compassion and knowledge with millions of viewers around the country, encouraging responsible pet ownership and care.