Small Miracles Animal Hospital

11/01/2026

🎃 Done with your pumpkins? Don't give the old jack-o'-lantern to your pets 🙅‍♀️

Once a carved pumpkin has been sitting outside, it can start growing mold and bacteria as it breaks down. So even though plain pumpkin can be perfectly fine for many dogs and cats, the old pumpkin from your porch isn't the pumpkin to share with them 🐶🐱

But you don't necessarily have to throw it in the trash!

♻️ Cuyahoga County is collecting pumpkins for composting through November 10, including a drop-off right here in Strongsville at:

📍 Youth Sports Park
21255 Lunn Road

They'll take intact pumpkins, carved jack-o'-lanterns, decaying pumpkins, and gourds.

Before you drop yours off, remove candles, stickers, and decorations. Painted, bleached, chemically treated, or permanent-marker-decorated pumpkins aren't accepted.

And if you want to give your pet pumpkin, stick with plain cooked or plain canned pumpkin in an appropriate amount. Pumpkin pie filling isn't the same thing, and the decomposing jack-o'-lantern can head to the compost bin instead 😂🎃🐾

10/31/2026

Happy Halloween from the beautiful CPLs at SMAH.. Otherwise known as Elphaba, Glinda and Tin man from wicked :)

10/31/2026

🐈‍⬛🎃 Why ARE black cats such a big part of Halloween?

They've been admired, misunderstood, considered good luck, blamed for bad luck, and surrounded by stories for centuries.

But how did they become one of Halloween's most recognizable symbols? And how much of their mysterious reputation actually comes down to normal cat biology? 👀🐈‍⬛

We took a look at the history, myths, and science behind our favorite little Halloween icons, plus some tips for keeping cats safe during all the Halloween activity.

🐈‍⬛ Read “The Magic of Black Cats” on our blog: https://www.smallmiraclesanimalhospital.vet/post/the-magic-of-black-cats

And if you have a black cat at home, we'd LOVE to see them. Drop a photo below! 🖤

Explore the history, mystery, and modern charm of black cats this Halloween, plus simple ways to keep every cat calm, safe, and comfortable at home.

10/31/2026

Happy Halloween from Small Miracles! 👻🐾

We hope your pets have a safe, fun night, whether they're:

🎃 dressed like a pumpkin
🧙 wearing an elaborate costume
🐶 helping answer the door
🙀 hiding from every single person who approaches the house
😴 sleeping through the entire thing

Show us your Halloween pets!

Costumes, bandanas, spooky photos 😍

Drop them below 📸🐾

10/30/2026

Before you put your pet in that tiny dinosaur costume🦖😂

🐾 Can they walk normally?
👀 Can they see?
👂 Can they hear?
🫁 Can they breathe comfortably?
📏 Is anything tight around the neck or legs?
⚠️ Are there little pieces they could chew off?

And most importantly:

🐶🐱 Do they actually seem okay wearing it?

The ASPCA recommends avoiding costumes that restrict normal movement, sight, hearing, or breathing, and checking for dangling pieces that could become choking hazards.

If your pet hates costumes, a festive bandana is considerably easier. 🎃🐾

10/30/2026

After a holiday or party, the trash can can be considerably more interesting to pets than usual.

🍤 Food scraps
🍫 Candy wrappers
🍗 Bones
🌯 Packaging

Things that smell amazing and have absolutely no business being eaten 🫣

If you've got a determined counter-surfer or trash-can investigator, secure the garbage before you go to bed.

Future-you does not want to discover the crime scene at 3 a.m. 😉🐾

10/30/2026

🎃🐾 Halloween can be A LOT for pets:

Even dogs and cats who are normally pretty relaxed can get overwhelmed when the house suddenly fills with people, costumes, noise, music, kids, doorbells, and a front door that keeps opening and closing.

And if you're having a Halloween party? That's even more activity in their space.

A few things can make the night easier and safer:

🏠 Give them somewhere quiet to get away. A bedroom or other comfortable room away from the party and front door can be a much better place for a pet who isn't enjoying the festivities. Add their bed, water, favorite toys, and some music, TV, or white noise to help muffle what's happening elsewhere in the house.

🚪 Take the open-door risk seriously. With guests coming and going or trick-or-treaters arriving every few minutes, Halloween creates a LOT more opportunities for a dog or cat to slip outside. A closed door between your pet and the entrance is much safer than relying on someone to catch them before they make a run for it.

🐱 And yes, this applies to indoor cats too. A cat who has never shown much interest in the front door can still get frightened, curious, or overstimulated when there's unusual activity in the house.

🏷️ Double-check their ID. Make sure tags are readable and microchip contact information is current, just in case somebody does get out.

👀 Watch what your pet is telling you. Hiding, pacing, panting, shaking, excessive vocalizing, trying to escape, or simply wanting nothing to do with everyone are good reasons to give them some space.

And if you already know your pet has significant anxiety around visitors, crowds, or noise, talk with your veterinarian ahead of time about what may help.

Your pet does NOT need to be part of the party to have a perfectly good Halloween 🎃🐶🐱

Need some tips for managing your pet's fear, stress, or anxiety around Halloween? Check out this blog post:

Halloween can be full of fun and excitement…but for pets, it can also be confusing and stressful. Costumes, constant doorbell ringing, and tempting treats can all trigger Halloween pet anxiety and throw pets off their normal routine.Here’s how to make sure your furry friends stay safe, calm, and...

10/30/2026

Halloween is tomorrow! 🎃 Here are a few reminders, to keep things safe and fun for the whole family 🖤

🍫 Put the candy somewhere your pets genuinely cannot get it.

Chocolate (as well as alcohol and cannabis) can be dangerous to dogs and cats, with dark and baking chocolate posing greater risk. Sugar-free candy containing xylitol can be especially dangerous for dogs. Candy wrappers can also cause problems if swallowed.

🚪 Think about the front door before trick-or-treating starts.

Halloween means repeated doorbells, strangers, costumes, kids, noise, and an open front door. The ASPCA recommends keeping pets who may be stressed by the activity in a comfortable room away from the front door during peak trick-or-treating.

🏷️ Check your pet's ID.

Make sure tags are readable and your contact information is current. Halloween activity can spook pets who normally wouldn't try to bolt.

🎃 And costumes are optional.

If your pet enjoys dressing up, great! Make sure the costume doesn't restrict movement, vision, hearing, breathing, eating, or drinking, and watch for small pieces that could be chewed off. If your pet clearly hates it, let them celebrate Halloween naked 😂

10/28/2026

10/19/2026

🐾🩵 Happy Veterinary Technician Week! 🩵🐾

This week, we're celebrating the veterinary technicians who do SO much to care for our patients every day.

They're drawing blood, running lab work, monitoring anesthesia, taking X-rays, assisting with procedures, giving medications, caring for hospitalized pets, answering questions, comforting nervous patients, and doing about 47 other things behind the scenes that you may never even see.

They're there for the nervous pets, the complicated cases, the busy treatment days, and all the little things that keep everything running smoothly.

Veterinary medicine truly couldn't function without them.

So this week, please join us in giving some extra appreciation to our amazing vet techs for the skill, knowledge, patience, and compassion they bring to our patients and their families every single day. 🩵

Happy Vet Tech Week! We appreciate everything you do! 🩺🐾