BOOM – BANG – POP

Independence Day is a day to celebrate indeed. BBQ’s, family, friends, and fireworks are a recipe for a good time. Unless of course, you’re a dog, cat, or pretty much another other mammal within hearing distance of the flashing celebrations.

Did you know that the Idaho Human Society states that their busiest day of the year is July 5th?  The reason is simple: animals do not associate loud noises and flashes of light with celebrating.  Animals are usually terrified of loud noises they are unfamiliar with. Many times, their reaction is to run from the sound. Dogs especially have been known to hurt themselves trying to escape an enclosed space like a back yard, garage, or crate.

Here are a few tips to try and ease your pet during the fireworks celebration.

Before the Fireworks Begin

• Get your pet a microchip. Intermountain Pet Hospital offers pet microchipping.
• If your pet already has a microchip, make sure the information linked to that chip is up to date with your current contact information.
• Get your dog and cat licensed (it’s the law) with your local authorized licensing location and make sure your pet is wearing the license.
• Get a toy your pet can play with for the evening.
• Include extra activity for your pet during the day to help them sleep.
• Thunder Jackets are also very effective at helping to calm your pet. Get your pet acclimated to a thunder jacket when they are calm, as opposed to putting it on when their anxiety is peaked.
• Another great natural anxiety treatment option is aromatherapy. Calming pheromones are used via spray, infused collar or with a diffuse around your pet. It’s so effective with relieving stress in pets that we use it in our exam rooms.
• Melatonin is a popular over-the-counter natural supplement that some pet parents find useful to help relieve stress with their pets. Make sure you talk to your veterinarian about using the supplement and what dose is right for your furry family member.
• If your animal is susceptible to extreme anxiety, you may want to consider a prescribed medication recommended by your vet for the evening.

During the Fireworks Show

• Keep your pet inside
• Close the windows and blinds
• Keep the television or radio on with shows you usually watch. Or consider getting a Pet Tunes cube that comes preloaded with songs to help keep Fluffy or Fido calm.

Before the fireworks begin, take a few extra steps to ensure your pet is quickly reunited with you if they do happen to get out.

Have a happy, fun, and safe Fourth of July from everyone at Intermountain Pet Hospital!