NOTE: If you are reading this story because your dog has already eaten dark chocolate, raisins, or anything containing xylitol, call your veterinarian immediately or contact the Pet Poison Helpline at 855-764-7661 (fees may apply).

Trick or treat! It’s the time of year to throw together your last-minute costumes, roam the streets or head to a party, and thenik spend the weekend enjoying whatever’s left over from the big bag of candy you bought at Costco (or whatever you can pilfer from your kids’ plunder). Enjoy! In moderation!

But keep it far, far away from your dog.

Most of the Halloween treats in your house are potentially dangerous and some of it can be deadly for your beloved family pet, even in small quantities. No matter how adorably they beg, keep these treats out of the dog’s reach.

How much chocolate can a dog eat? Stick with none

Every dog owner should know that chocolate is bad news for canines. It’s not the most toxic food a dog can scarf down, but it’s probably the most common danger because it’s so easy for a dog to get, especially around holidays such as Halloween, Easter and Christmas.

Chocolate contains active chemicals such as theobromine and caffeine, called methylxanthines, that are toxic to dogs because they can’t metabolize them very well. Caffeine can “speed up the heart rate and stimulate their nervous systems,” according to the America Kennel Club, and theobrominese can affect the digestive system, heart, central nervous system, and kidneys.

In general, the darker the chocolate, the more toxic. Dark chocolate is more dangerous than milk chocolate while semisweet chocolate and unsweetened baker’s chocolate are worse, and cocoa powder is the most deadly of all.

But any delicious chocolatey dessert or snack can be suspect. White chocolate has no cocoa solids or theobromine, but the high fat and sugar content still can make your pooch sick.

Body weight and the amount eaten also make a big difference. According to the Merck Manual, which provides an online chocolate toxicity calculator, one ounce of milk chocolate per pound of body weight is a potentially lethal dose for a dog. Snapping up a fun-size bar might not be an issue for larger breeds, but your smaller pooch grabbing a standard 1.5 oz chocolate bar may be in serious trouble.

Symptoms of chocolate poisoning, according to PetMD:

Symptoms usually begin within 6 to 12 hours after eating chocolate and can last up to 72 hours. In extreme cases, they can lead to muscle tremors, seizures, heart failure, and death.

What to do if your dog has eaten chocolate: Don’t wait for symptoms to show up, they may take hours to develop while the toxins are already doing their damage. Contact a veterinarian immediately if your dog has eaten chocolate, even a small amount, or contact the Pet Poison Helpline at 855-764-7661 (fees may apply) or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) at 888 426-4435. Be ready to tell the vet what your dog ate, how much, and how much your dog weighs.

Even one raisin can be fatal to a dog

Whatever your thoughts are on raisins in baked goods (yummy? a betrayal?), for dogs they can be deadly. Chocolate-covered raisins are even worse since you add the risk of chocolate poisoning.

Grapes and raisins are highly toxic to some dogs, with no proven safe amount. Even gulping down one grape or raisin can kill a dog. Experts have not pinned down what the toxic compound in grapes is yet, or why it affects some dogs and not others, but breed, sex and age has no influence on the risk, according to the American Kennel Club.

Symptoms of eating raisins, according to PetMD:

• Vomiting and/or diarrhea, usually within the first few hours

• Lethargy or unusual quietness

• Dehydration (panting, dry nose or mouth, pale gums)

• Increased urination or drinking a lot may indicate the initial stages of kidney failure.

• Decreased urination or not urinating may mean the kidneys are shutting down.

What to do if your dog has eaten raisins: Contact a veterinarian immediately if your dog has eaten even one grape or raisin, or contact the Pet Poison Helpline at 855-764-7661 (fees may apply) or the ASPCA’s APCC at 888 426-4435.

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Hard candies, xylitol can lead to hard times, very sick dogs

There are a variety of problems with dogs eating any hard candies. They can lead to choking if not completely chewed up and they can stick together and cause obstructions in the digestive system, according to PetMD. Smaller candies may obstruct breathing if they are inhaled into the windpipe.

But some sugar-free candies contain the sugar substitute xylitol and that’s a different thing altogether. Dogs absorb xylitol much faster than humans and even a very small amount can cause them to secrete large amounts of insulin quickly, often within a half hour, which can lead to a potentially lethal blood sugar crash and “seizures, coma, and death,” PetMD says.

The equivalent of one or two pieces of sugar-free gum can be enough, and xylitol has become a popular additive even in items that aren’t marked sugar-free. Always check ingredients before sharing with your furry friend.

Symptoms of eating hard candies with xylitol, according to PetMD:

Even if your dog gets past the initial symptoms, xylitol can cause liver failure and bring a loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, confusion, and yellowing of the skin. Some dogs may form blood clots.

What to do if your dog has eaten anything with xylitol: Contact your vet immediately if your dog has eaten anything containing xylitol, or contact the Pet Poison Helpline at 855-764-7661 (fees may apply) or the ASPCA’s APCC at 888 426-4435. If signs of hypoglycemia develop before you can get to a vet, Dr. Jennifer Coates of PetMD suggests dribbling a little dissolved sugar solution, Karo syrup or honey in the dog’s mouth if you can do so safely.

Candy corn, gummies, lollipops, other sugary treats: Down, boy

Sugary candies are not considered to be toxic to dogs. But they’re not a good idea.

Even aside from the general health issues of too much sugar, high-sugar treats can cause abdominal discomfort, severe gas, bloating and diarrhea in your pooch, according to PetMD, and some dogs may develop inflammation of the intestinal tract and pancreatitis, which can be fatal.

(They’re also not great for your dog’s teeth.)

What to do if your dog has eaten sugary candies: Contact a veterinarian for advice if your dog has eaten more than a couple high-sugar snacks to determine if treatment is necessary.

The wrappers can be worse than the candy

“Most dogs don’t unwrap candies before they eat them,” PetMD says, “and the wrappers can sometimes pose more of a problem than the candies themselves.”

Wrappers can become lodged in your pet’s throat or intestinal tract, causing irritation and inflammation (which can mean poor appetite, vomiting and diarrhea) or obstruction, which may require surgery. Obstruction can interfere with digestion and cause dehydration and unbalanced electrolytes. In severe cases, blockages can cause necrosis or perforated bowels.

Symptoms of blockage, according to PetMD:

• Diarrhea, difficulty defecating or straining to defecate

What to do if your dog may have an obstruction: Contact a veterinarian immediately. Induced vomiting within the first couple of hours may be possible, otherwise, more elaborate treatment may be necessary.

How to keep your dog safe from Halloween candy

Keep your veterinarian’s phone number in a prominent place.

Don’t leave bowls, bags or individual candies where a dog can get to them or knock them over.

When it’s time to go over the night’s haul, use a table or the kitchen counter instead of spreading it across the floor where it could be grabbed or individual pieces might be missed under the furniture.

Keep dog-friendly carob treats handy to share so you have something to offer those puppy-dog eyes while you enjoy the forbidden chocolate and candy they can’t have.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Halloween candy with chocolate, raisins, xylitol can be fatal for dogs