When did Halloween become such a big holiday? It's second only to Christmas, it seems, for decorating and celebrating, with special stores full of frightful fare and merchandise hitting all other retailers before summer is over.

It's all in fun, of course, and whenever pet lovers have fun, our pets are usually included.

But holidays are often anything but fun for many pets. While we humans love the change in routine with the parties, the guests and the decorations, our furred and feathered family members too often find the disruptions disturbing -- and sometimes dangerous.

Like all holidays, Halloween is not without its hazards. The two biggest problems are injuries and poisoning -- and animal emergency clinics traditionally see plenty of both. When you're planning to include your pet in holiday plans, keep pet protection in the mix.

With the increase in activity around the neighborhood, cats and dogs get nervous, and some will take off if they can. That means an increase in the number of animals hit by cars. Other time, animals 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 pets is to confine them for the evening in a crate or a quiet room far from the front door or any holiday festivities.

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 many 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, since it's difficult to see a black cat in the dark. But the threat of either is more than reason enough to keep him inside.

If you keep your pets confined safely inside the house, you will eliminate one source of risk. Keeping them away from the goodies will take care of the other risk.

Candy is a problem more for dogs than for cats because cats are generally picky about what they eat. Not so for many dogs, who'll wolf down candy (wrappers and all) if given the opportunity, giving many a serious case of what veterinarians call "garbage gut." While chocolate really isn't the deadly threat many believe, a small dog who gets a large amount of dark chocolate does need veterinary intervention. A bigger threat to all pets, though, is from candy and gum sweetened with Xylitol. It's deadly stuff for pets, so keep it out of their reach.

And finally, what about costumes for pets? If it makes you happy, go for it. Your dog doesn't care if he has a biker jacket, sunglasses, an ear-hugging visor or even a colorful bandanna. He'll put up with most anything you put on him, as long as it means spending more time with you.

If putting a costume on your dog means you'll fuss over him and maybe take him somewhere interesting, like the costume contests that are everywhere these days, then sure, it's a no-lose proposition. Dress up your dog and have some fun.

Do make sure that any costume you choose or make meets commonsense standards: It's comfortable and nonrestrictive, inedible, and it doesn't involve anything that could be hazardous, such as dye or paint. There has never been a wider selection of silly stuff for pets at retailers, so you can pick up a costume or two easily.

I've dressed up my pets before, and I have to say that my favorite costume of all time -- a first-place prize-winner at more than one contest -- was also the cheapest and easiest. I purchased a package of round white dots from an office supply store, and put them all over my black retriever. His "Reverse Dalmatian" get-up got laughs everywhere we went.

Q&A

All pet birds need

variety underfoot

Q: We just got a cockatiel, and I am reading a copy of your "Birds For Dummies" we checked out of the library. In it, you and Dr. Speer say the perches that come with the cage we bought are not sufficient, but the folks at the pet store say they are. Care to explain? -- via e-mail

A: Aside from the fact that even the manager or owner of a pet store isn't the expert that board-certified avian veterinarian Dr. Brian L. Speer is, there's the matter of common sense.

First, I wonder if the pet-store person didn't have it, since if she did, she could have sold you more equipment. But that's her problem, I guess.

Second, use some common sense yourself: If you were a bird who flies freely in the wild, would you be happy spending most of your life in a cage with just a food bowl, a water dispenser and a couple of pine dowels for company?

Of course not.

A perch is more than something to stand on for your bird. Chosen properly, it's also an important tool for helping to keep your bird physically and emotionally sound. When choosing perches, think variety, and select an array of textures.

Choices you'll find at the bird store -- I generally prefer specialty bird shops over chain stores for supplies -- include rope, natural wood and concrete, and each should find a place in your bird's cage.

The good news is that some of the best perches around won't cost you anything more than the time it takes to trim them from your trees. Limbs from most fruit and nut trees make fine perches, as do those from ash, elm, dogwood and magnolia.

Cut the branches to fit the cage, scrub with soap and water, rinse well, and let them dry in the sun before putting them in the cage. A final check is for insect pods -- just break them off and dispose of them in an outside trash can.

While many people don't think of a cockatiel as a parrot, these birds are indeed parrots, with all the brains and personality their larger relatives are famous for. These brainy birds need to use those minds to be happy and healthy, and a variety of perches (and toys!) will help. -- Gina Spadafori

Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com.

THE BUZZ

Safe food rules

for pet food, too

-- Dry pet food has been repeatedly linked to salmonella outbreaks in people. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analyzed outbreaks from 2006 and 2008 and linked both to contaminated kibble. Especially at risk are young children who play with the food and then put their hands or the food in their mouths. Pet food needs to be handled with as much concern for safety as with all food: Wash hands after handling, keep food preparation areas properly cleaned and wash pet food bowls in soap and water and store between uses.

-- Secondhand smoke is a hazard to pets as well as people. Shorter-nosed breeds are at greater risk for lung cancer, while longer-nosed breeds like collies and German shepherds are more likely to get nasal cancer. Dr. John Reif, a professor at the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, released the results in a podcast for the American Veterinary Medical Association. Previous studies had noted that cats exposed to second-hand smoke had double the risk of cancer compared to other cats.

-- The Veterinary Pet Insurance company's analysis of its claims shows that accidental ingestion of pet or human medications was the top poison hazard for pets, with an average cost of $791 per claim. These incidents accounted for close to a quarter of all claims to the company for poisoning. The ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center also puts human and pet medications at the top of its poison risks list. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" and "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Dr. Becker can also be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker.

Emergencies always seem to happen when your family veterinary office is closed, don't they? You're having a great time and suddenly your pet seems ill. Is he sick enough for a trip to the emergency clinic?

No one wants to see a pet in pain or in danger. But every day, people spend money they didn't need to for emergency clinic trips they didn't have to make.

Some of the things that get people in a panic can be of no concern at all. One time, while working overnight in an emergency veterinary clinic, I saw a woman frantic because she thought pieces of her dog's intestines were leaking out his back end. In fact, the dog was infested with tapeworms. Definitely in need of treatment, but nothing that couldn't wait until the weekend was over.

Knowing what's a true emergency and what's not can save you hundreds of dollars, since emergency clinics -- like human emergency care -- can be quite expensive.

With the holiday season coming up quickly, it's a good time to review when a pet needs to see a veterinarian. Anything is worth at least a phone call if you're not sure what's wrong, while some things require immediate attention by a veterinarian.

How to tell the difference? Here are some signs that should have you heading for a veterinarian, day or night:

-- Seizure, fainting or collapse.

-- Eye injury, no matter how mild.

-- Vomiting or diarrhea -- anything more than two or three times within an hour or so. Also, a dog who's trying to vomit (or may be vomiting foam, licking lips), has a drum-tight abdomen and a "roached-back" appearance indicative of abdominal pain.

-- Allergic reactions, such as swelling around the face, or hives, most easily seen on the belly.

-- Any suspected poisoning, including antifreeze, rodent or snail bait, or human medication. Cats are especially sensitive to insecticides (such as flea-control medication for dogs) or any petroleum-based product.

-- Snake or venomous spider bites.

-- Thermal stress -- from being either too cold or too hot -- even if the pet seems to have recovered. (The internal story could be quite different.)

-- Any wound or laceration that's open and bleeding, or any animal bite.

-- Trauma, such as being hit by a car, even if the pet seems fine. (Again, the situation could be quite different on the inside.)

-- Any respiratory problem: chronic coughing, trouble breathing or near drowning.

-- Straining to urinate or defecate.

Although some other problems may not be life-threatening, they may be causing your pet pain and should be taken care of without delay. Signs of pain can include panting, labored breathing, increased body temperature, lethargy, restlessness, crying out, aggression and loss of appetite. Some pets seek company when suffering, while others will withdraw.

When in doubt, err on the side of caution, always. Better to be dead wrong about a minor medical problem than to have a pet who's dead because you guessed wrong about a major one.

Call your veterinary clinic or hospital before you need help to ask what arrangements the staff suggests for emergency or after-hours care. If your veterinarian refers clients to an emergency clinic after regular business hours, be sure you know which clinic, what the phone number is and how to get there quickly and safely.

Q&A

Rats! Do parents

have a chance?

Note: A reader pointed out this question-and-answer in our PetConnection.com searchable archives, and we liked it so much that we're sharing it again. The e-mail is from 2006, so this young woman wasn't at a top medical school ... yet. And we bet she got her pet.

Q: I'm an academics-oriented-to-the-point-of-mania student in high school. My dwarf hamster died a few months ago, and I'm very eager to purchase another domesticated rodent.

I've researched rabbits (I know, I know: They're lagomorphs, not rodents) and guinea pigs, and I've come across an unsettling plethora of setbacks. However, I stumbled upon rats, and I'm now smitten. I've read that they're exceptionally intelligent and willing to be handled by humans (two factors I value), and I've simply realized that I'm quite compatible with them.

Unfortunately, my parents are completely averse to keeping a "filthy creature" that spread an abhorrent plague in "their house," in spite of my fervent assertions that domesticated rats are different than wild rats. My city-bred mother always mentions the fact that rats have infiltrated New York City. She's being so close-minded.

Responsibility isn't an issue, for my parents are completely cognizant of my maturity and dedication. During the school year, I study maniacally, and my parents have always been worried about my unhealthy devotion to my studies. I believe that owning such active pets as rats will calm me during my scholastic frenzies. Could you aid me in this seemingly fruitless quest to persuade my parents? I see a pair of rats in my future. -- P.C., via e-mail

A: I have a feeling that your parents don't stand a chance when you really have your mind set on something. I imagine you will have your rats, and that you will soon have them trained to negotiate mazes, run through tunnels, climb ladders and jump through hoops on your way to winning the state science fair for the best-ever project on operant conditioning.

Like all pets (even dogs and cats), domesticated rats do present some risk of disease transmission, but proper handling, care and sanitation will reduce those risks substantially. Domesticated rats are friendly, easy to train, and much cuter than their wild counterparts, thanks to years of breeding that have introduced all manner of interesting and attractive markings.

I know you won't have any problem presenting a good case to your parents. Just be sure you don't let them see "Willard" on DVD or read the utterly fascinating but unhelpful-to-your-cause book, "Rats: Observations on the History & Habitat of the City's Most Unwanted Inhabitants," by Robert Sullivan.

After they relent, consider adopting a rat from a rescue group or shelter. You can connect with rescue groups through the Rat and Mouse Club of America (www.rmca.org). My favorite sites for rat care information are Rat Guide (ratguide.com) and the Rat Fan Club (www.ratfanclub.org).

Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com.

THE BUZZ

Vets' advice on ears:

Leave the flaps alone

-- While ear-cropping is often defended by breed traditionalists as a preventive measure against ear infections, the American Veterinary Medical Association has long countered that view, pointing to research showing otherwise. In the trade group's online question-and-answer on the subject, the AVMA notes that while surgery to open the canal can be helpful to dogs with chronic ear infections, changing the appearance of the ear flap doesn't do the same. The AVMA first advocated for an end to ear-cropping in the American Kennel Club's standards for the show ring in 1976; the ASPCA first called for an end to the practice more than a century ago, in 1895.

-- One-third of married women believe their pets listen to them better than their spouses do, according to an Associated Press-Petside.com poll. Among married men, 18 percent hold the same belief.

-- Cancer detection for dogs may be a blood test away. The BioCurex company reports that its test has detected 85 percent of a variety of cancers in dogs in premarket studies. The same blood test is used in humans and detects the so-called RECAF marker in the blood, a sign of malignant cell growth. The RECAF marker is produced from rapid cell growth, a characteristic both of cancer and fetal development. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" and "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Dr. Becker can also be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker.

The more you know about how the kidneys work, the better you'll be able to care for a pet with kidney disease.

The kidneys act like a water filtration system in reverse, trapping and recycling substances the body needs, such as proteins, and letting waste materials pass through. If any part of this complex filtration process breaks down, toxins in the bloodstream can rise to life-threatening levels.

Treatment -- often giving massive amounts of fluids -- is aimed at restoring the kidneys to normal function, so they can resume doing their job of filtration. If that's not possible, the toxins in the blood must be reduced to safe levels some other way. Dietary changes, drug therapy, agents that bind toxins and eliminate them, and even dialysis, can be used.

Chronic kidney failure is usually found in aging pets and can be detected with a simple blood test. Acute kidney failure is typically marked by vomiting, increased thirst, increased or lack of urination, lethargy, bad breath, diarrhea and lack of appetite. These symptoms signal a health crisis, with time being the difference between whether an animal lives or dies.

The critical issue of response is why veterinarians don't recommend that pet lovers wait a day or more after the onset of symptoms in the hope that a problem will go away on its own. When sick pets finally arrive at the veterinary hospital, 75 percent of kidney function can already be gone for good. Wait much longer, and the chances of survival are not good.

For younger dogs and cats, a kidney problem is more likely to be acute, the result of a poison, such a pet ingesting anti-freeze, lilies (typically cats) or grapes/raisins (typically dogs).

No matter what's the cause of sudden-onset kidney failure, the treatment needs to be swift. At the very least, the pet will need to be placed on intravenous fluids, and may need antibiotics as well as other medications to suppress vomiting and diarrhea. The treatment plan is designed to help flush the kidneys while supporting the rest of the body through the crisis.

If the intervention is successful, the animal will be left with enough kidney function to survive, though perhaps with chronic kidney issues that will need lifetime treatment.

Although the prognosis can be grim in many cases of sudden kidney failure, it's always worth trying to save a pet. With swift veterinary intervention and good follow-up care, many pets can live with their kidney disease for many happy years.

Q&A

Owners can care

for diabetic cat

Q: My 6-year-old cat has been diagnosed with diabetes. Can she get better on her own if I decide I don't want to do the shots? -- via e-mail

A: For the diabetic cat, the levels of sugar in the blood -- glucose -- cannot be normalized without treatment. Although a cat may be able to go a few days without treatment and not get into a crisis, treating the disease should be looked upon as part of the cat's daily routine. Treatment almost always requires some dietary changes. And whether a cat will require oral therapy or insulin injections will vary from case to case.

For the owner, there are two implications: financial commitment and personal commitment. Once a cat's diabetes is well-regulated, maintenance is not that expensive, with costs that may include a special diet, oral medication, insulin and syringes.

For many people, the personal commitment seems more difficult than the financial one, but that, too, is not insurmountable. You'll need to pay close attention to your veterinarian's instructions about medication, diet and home monitoring.

Consistency is the key to keeping a diabetic cat healthy. The more you keep the medication, diet and activity the same from one day to the next, the easier it will be to keep your cat's blood sugar regulated.

Insulin injections always worry people the most. But cats seem to be more comfortable getting shots than their owners are about giving them.

If the idea of giving your cat regular injections is upsetting, consider these points:

-- Insulin does not cause pain when it is injected.

-- The injections are made with very tiny needles that your cat hardly feels.

-- The injections are given just under the skin in areas in which it is almost impossible to cause damage to any vital organ.

Although diabetes is a diagnosis that may seem like a death sentence to many distraught people with newly diagnosed cats, it doesn't need to be that way. Work with your veterinarian and give your cat a chance. You may be surprised at how well things work out.

By the way, you can find a lot of information and support on the Feline Diabetes website (felinediabetes.com), which was started by a physician after her own cat was diagnosed with the disease. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com.

THE BUZZ

Safe driving means

securing your pet

-- Crating or harnessing your pet in the car is an important safety measure for you, your dog and everyone else on the road. In a survey by AAA, nearly 60 percent of those polled admitted to having driven while distracted when their dog was in the car. Only 17 percent of respondents said they restrained their pet in a crate or with a seat-belt harness. An unrestrained 10-pound dog in a crash at 50 mph delivers 500 pounds of force on whatever the animal strikes; an 80-pound dog in a 30 mph crash delivers 2,400 pounds of force.

-- Water 4 Dogs, a hydrotherapy center for dogs in New York City (water4dogs.com), recently began treating its first cat, a 6-year-old Turkish Van whose left side was paralyzed after an accident in June. When veterinarians diagnosed a swelling in the cat's vertebrae, the animal overcame her initial fear of the water and is showing improvement after thrice-weekly sessions.

-- Poor circulation in horse barns may be causing respiratory problems for people who have or work with horses. A study conducted by Tufts University's Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine surveyed barn workers and a control group of non-barn workers and found that half of people working in barns complained of coughing and wheezing, compared to only 15 percent of the control group. Higher rates of self-reported respiratory ailments were also found for barn workers. Horses have been known to get respiratory illness from the excess dust found in barns, and it seems the effects of poor air circulation and dirt are reaching the humans as well. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" and "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Dr. Becker can also be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker.