7 Halloween Foods Dogs Should Never Eat
Almost all sugary Halloween food is bad for dogs. But there are some things you’ll probably make for Halloween that are safe for your dog (like the pumpkin you’ll bake or some soups you’ll make).
However, the fun part of Halloween—sugar, candy, and chocolate—is a big no for dogs! In this article, we’ll dig deeper into our Halloween candy, analyze the ingredients and everything else so we can enjoy the holidays, avoid emergency visits to the vet, and have a happy and playful spooky season.
1 Chocolate
Chocolate is the absolute most dangerous food for dogs as it contains theobromine, a substance similar to caffeine but with a strong toxic effect on dogs. While not all chocolate is the same and some types contain more theobromine than others, you really need to be careful around Halloween chocolate and keep all treats away from your dog. Toxicity also depends on the size of your dog, so it’s not the same if a tiny chihuahua eats a bar of chocolate or if a rottweiler eats some! Dark chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa is the worst for dogs, while milk chocolate may not be as dangerous in small amounts.
So, this Halloween please don’t give your dog any of the following:
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
- Snickers
- M&Ms (both regular and peanut)
- Twix
- Kit Kat
- Hershey’s Bars
- Milky Way
- Butterfinger
- 3 Musketeers
- Dove Chocolate
2 Sugar-free and hard candy
Whether you’re doing keto, paleo, low-carb, or have a medical condition and eat sugar-free candy, you have to be careful this Halloween season, as sugar-free candy with xylitol is toxic to dogs!
Xylitol is very dangerous in small amounts, and it quickly lowers your dog’s blood sugar. However, you may not notice something is wrong for at least a couple of hours! The best and safest way is to keep sugar-free candy away from your dog and never share it with them!
3 Chocolate-covered raisins
Some dogs are extremely sensitive to raisins, while others may tolerate them a bit better, but raisins are very toxic to dogs! It’s a bit of a mystery how the toxicity occurs, but chocolate-covered raisins, which we often have for Halloween, can cause extreme kidney damage to your dog. Make sure they are out of reach!
4 Candy
Candy corn and other sugary treats are all bad for your dog. Sugar damages their teeth, disrupts digestion, and causes stomach pain, so there’s no need to give them any!
Candy corn in particular can cause an upset stomach, gas, and bloating, making your dog thirsty and causing them to refuse their food. If they overeat, they will likely end up vomiting or having diarrhea.
Another candy to mention is Skittles, which are not good for dogs. While not toxic, they contain high fructose corn syrup and artificial dyes, which are unhealthy. Some food dyes are even banned in certain states (like California). So, please skip these and share some dog-friendly Halloween treats from your pet shop!
5 Popcorn balls and caramel popcorn
While popcorn is not toxic to dogs, it’s not recommended to share it, as it’s hard to digest! Popcorn can cause issues and intestinal blockage in small dogs. If your dog handles popcorn well, there’s still a chance they’ll overeat and experience constipation.
Caramel popcorn is not a good idea either, as it’s gooey, sticky, and addictive. There’s no guarantee your dog won’t eat too much and end up bloated with digestive issues, possibly even vomiting.
6 Caramel apples and candy apples
While apples are great for dogs as they’re full of vitamins and healthy fiber, candy apples and caramel apples are full of sugar and tough to chew! They can hurt your dog’s gums and teeth, and the apple cores can be hard to swallow.
It’s best to skip sharing these with your dog for fun, as they’ll make a complete mess and end up with an upset stomach from all the sugar!
7 Donuts
I’m sure you’ve already started planning how to decorate donuts this Halloween with orange frosting and black cobwebs! But please be careful, as donuts are not good for dogs. They are just empty calories, high in fat and sugar, and a bad habit that could put your dog at risk of obesity.
Luckily, none of the donuts—glazed, filled with jelly, or even chocolate-covered—are toxic to dogs (they contain only tiny amounts of chocolate, so don’t worry). But it’s still best not to let them indulge, as they’ll get hooked on sugar!
Bonus – decorations, candy wrappers, and glow sticks
Accidents can happen, and with colorful candy and decorations, your dog may be tempted to grab some and eat them with the wrappers! While candy wrappers are not toxic to dogs (you should be more concerned with the actual candy), cellophane and plastic wrappers can still cause intestinal tears, issues, and pain.
In most cases, your dog will pass them (so check their poop!), but if your dog seems unwell, you need to contact the vet! If they look like they want to poop but are struggling, give them some cooked pumpkin. Pumpkin is great for your dog’s digestion and usually helps with passing foreign objects.
On the other hand, some Halloween decorations like glow sticks are toxic. Glow sticks contain dibutyl phthalate, a mild toxin that can cause skin irritation, but when ingested, it causes drooling, gagging, dry heaves, and vomiting. In most cases, the best thing you can do is give your dog plenty of water and some cooked pumpkin, then keep an eye on them to ensure they aren’t in pain. The main problem is not the glow-in-the-dark dye but the foreign objects in your dog’s intestines. If you notice any severe symptoms, please call your vet ASAP.
As always, it’s best to avoid highly processed treats. There are better options out there for your dog. But if you’re still wondering what Halloween candy your dog can eat—maybe you can give them some plain cookies as a small treat, but make sure there are no raisins, no chocolate, no nutmeg… and so on. You see—sometimes it’s best to skip candy altogether and enjoy the spooky season without unhealthy treats.
Love, life, and fur forever!
FAQs
Can dogs eat Halloween cookies?
It depends on the ingredients, but most Halloween cookies are full of sugar, butter, and sometimes chocolate—none of which are good for dogs. Chocolate is toxic, sugar is unhealthy, and spices like nutmeg are bad in huge amounts (so be careful when you’re baking). However, Halloween cookies are not toxic to dogs, and if your dog eats some (by accident!) don’t worry.
Can dogs eat lollipops?
No, dogs shouldn’t eat lollipops. You already know that sugar is not good for dogs, but lollipops are bad for your dog’s teeth, too. They can also be tricky to chew and digest, so there’s a risk of choking. Please, if you by any chance buy and eat sugar-free candy and lollipops never ever give that to your dog as they can have xylitol, which is toxic.
Can dogs eat gummies?
Dogs shouldn’t eat gummies as they are empty calories and basically just pure sugar. On top of that, they have artificial colors and flavors, all not good for your dog. Sugar-free gummies can be very dangerous, so please don’t share them with dogs. Never, ever!
My dog ate candy and is throwing up. What should I do?
If your dog is throwing up after eating candy, it’s likely their body reacting to something unhealthy—whether it’s the sugar, chocolate, or an artificial sweetener like xylitol. First, identify what type of candy they ate. If it contains chocolate or xylitol, call your vet immediately, as these are toxic. If it’s something else, keep an eye on them give them plenty of water and keep them hydrated.