Dr. Kenneth Drobatz, chief of the Emergency Service at the Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, offers the following tips to keep pets healthy and out of the emergency room this Halloween:

• Keep pets inside on Halloween to avoid pranksters who may harm them. This is especially important for cats, which should be kept inside for several days before and after Halloween. Black cats in particular may be at risk.
• Children in costumes may frighten your dog or cat; pets should be kept in a separate room during peak trick-or-treating hours.
• If your pet is very social and you choose not to put him in a separate room, be sure he doesn’t dart out when you open the door; just in case, make sure all your pets are wearing current identification.
• Keep Halloween candy out of your pet’s reach. Chocolate and other treats can be potentially harmful to animals. Tinfoil and cellophane candy wrappers can also be hazardous if swallowed.
• Keep pets away from lit pumpkins; curious pets could be burned or start a fire if they knock the pumpkin over.
• Don’t put costumes on your pets unless you know they enjoy it. If they do, make sure the costume doesn’t restrict your pet’s movement, vision, hearing or ability to breathe or bark. Adults should supervise pets in costume at all times.