Halloween candy not good for pets

NEW YORK — It’s a trickor-treating tradition: Dump the night’s candy haul onto the living room floor to pick out the gems, or do some horse trading with siblings or friends.

The excitement — and sugar rush — may leave humans unaware that all that candy might just be lethal for their hovering pet dogs and cats, however.

Pets can’t metabolize candy like humans, said Leasa Greer, manager of nutrition and regulatory affairs for Solid Gold, a line of natural, health-focused foods and treats for dogs and cats. Generally, pet owners likely know what their animals should and shouldn’t eat, but they may not know why, she said.

Chocolate contains caffeine and a compound called theobromine, which can be toxic to dogs and cats, Greer said. Cats can’t taste sweet so aren’t necessarily as drawn to chocolate as dogs, she said. Theobromine is more concentrated in darker chocolates, so that type is particularly perilous, Greer said. Symptoms of chocolate upset include digestive upset (vomiting, diarrhea), restlessness, hyperactivity and trembling, she said.