(Radio Iowa) – Gobbling down mounds of Halloween candy can leave trick-or-treaters with a bad tummy ache, but too much sweet stuff can be dangerous, and even deadly, for a pet. Jessie Phillips, director of development & communications at the Animal Rescue League of Iowa, says chocolate is toxic to dogs and cats, and while rarely fatal, chocolate can result in significant illness. “It really just depends on the amount ingested and the size of the animal,” Phillips says. “If your pet has ever gotten some chocolate and you’re unsure, you can always call your veterinarian or the Pet Poison Help Hotline.”

That hotline is 800-213-6680. Some Iowans already have a big bowl of treats on the counter, ready to go for trick-or-treat night, while kids may leave their sacks of candy laying around after they’ve had their fill. Both types of candy stashes should be hidden away from pets. “Keep it in a safe place, better be safe than sorry,” Phillip says. “We all know about chocolate, but aside from chocolate, there are other ingredients that can be dangerous to your pets. Artificial sweeteners, like Xylitol, can be toxic, so really just be safe. Keep them up high or out of the way and be totally sure that your pets can’t get into the candy.”

Many Iowans have carved grinning pumpkins for their porches, which — to a dog — may look and smell like a tasty treat to eat. “They might and we would probably recommend not feeding animals raw pumpkin, especially if it’s a jack-o-lantern that’s been sitting out for a while,” Phillips says. “Mostly just because bacteria can grow in that jack-o-lantern if it’s been sitting outside, probably best not to feed it to a pet, so do try to keep your pets away from from raw pumpkin.”

Also, Halloween decorations can be hazardous for pets, as curious kittens might stick their paws into a jack-o-lantern’s flame, and rambunctious puppies may chew on the “bones” that make up skeletons.

(Radio Iowa) – Some Iowans will be leaving their porch lights off to keep the trick-or-treaters away this season because candy prices are, in a word, scary. Anne Villami, an economics professor at the University of Iowa, says the latest Consumer Price Index report shows candy prices are up 13-percent from last Halloween. “That’s higher than inflation,” Villamil says. “The CPI, the general price index, is high right now, that’s at 8.2%, that’s a 40-year high, so 13% for candy is clearly higher than the typical.” Labor costs are up, as are input costs, things like sugar, milk and flour, and she says “elasticity” is also playing a significant role in candy costs.

“That’s basically what a consumer is willing to pay for something,” Villamil says. “So if you think Halloween comes once a year and is really important to people who go out trick-or-treating, and you don’t want to disappoint your kids or the trick-or-treaters, then you’re going to be willing to pay that price, even when it’s up 13%.” While you might find a few discounted bags of candy corn, she says virtually all major candy manufacturers have mirrored each other in raising prices across the board. She says it will mean some households have difficult decisions to make on treats, which can be — tricky.

“This year, people are expected to spend about $100 on average on candy, costumes, decorations,” Villamil says, “and so given that it comes once a year and many people will say, ‘This is important to the kids,’ we’re just going to go ahead and pay that price.” The sticker shock in the candy aisle is a real fright for some shoppers, as the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports this is the largest annual price increase on record.