Fairfield-Echo.com

Dressing up? Tricks and treats? Halloween sounds like the perfect holiday when it comes to including your pet in the fun. And it can be, with a few basic precautions.

Universal Press Syndicate Costumes for dogs used to be do-it-yourself affairs, but no longer, with many choices available from retailers.

While we humans love the change in routine that holidays often bring -- the parties, the guests and the decorations -- our furred and feathered family members too often find the disruptions disturbing and sometimes dangerous.

The two biggest problems with this ghoulish holiday are frightened pets and poisoned pets -- and veterinary emergency clinics traditionally see plenty of both. With the increase in activity, cats and dogs get nervous, and some will take off if they can. That means an increase in animals hit by cars or otherwise injured when on the run.

The animals themselves may be a cause of injury: All those costumed young visitors can trigger territorial instincts or fear responses in some dogs, who may then become a bite risk.

The best solution for nervous or improperly socialized pets is to confine them for the evening in a crate or a quiet room far from the front door or any holiday festivities.

Now, about the poisons. Candy is a problem more for dogs than for cats, because cats are generally picky about what they eat. Not so for most dogs, who'll wolf down candy -- wrappers and all -- if given the opportunity, giving many a serious case of what veterinarians call "garbage gut." Any candy can trigger a bout of intestinal upset, but chocolate can do much worse. The small dog who gets a large amount of chocolate could end up dead without prompt veterinary intervention.

Some people put costumes on their dogs, and that's safe enough and plenty fun if you use common sense. You can find ready-made costumes in most pet stores, in almost as much variety as you'll find in stores for children. Homemade costumes are another good option, and you'll find a surprising number of pet-costume events where you and your dog can show off your handiwork for fun and prizes. Make sure, though, that any costume meets the commonsense standard: It should be comfortable and nonrestrictive, and it shouldn't involve anything that could be hazardous, such as dye or paint.

Many animal-welfare groups warn that black cats are at special risk around Halloween, claiming that cultists pick up the animals for ritual torture. Such concerns have led some shelters to halt the adoption of black cats in the days before Halloween.

In truth, such cruelties are so poorly documented that they surely happen rarely, if at all. Your black cat is more likely to be killed by a car than a cultist, but the threat of either is more than reason enough to keep him inside. But that's true of all cats at all times.

While pets may not like the holidays as much as we do, any celebration can be made pet-safe with just a few basic precautions. Be sure to take them, because veterinarians would rather hand out candy to children than medicine to pets on Halloween.

Dr. Marty Becker, the popular veterinary contributor to ABC-TV's "Good Morning America," has been writing a syndicated newspaper column for more than a decade. Becker is also the host of "The Pet Doctor With Marty Becker," which airs on PBS stations around the country. He has appeared on Animal Planet and is a frequent guest on national network and cable television, and on radio shows.

Gina Spadafori is the award-winning author of top-selling pet-care books, and a consultant to the Veterinary Information Network. Her Web log and column archives can be found at www.spadafori.com.