Fireworks Fears? Help Your Pets Now
The 4th of July holiday is a particularly scary and confusing time for our animal friends.
Heavier traffic, crowded parties, and the lights and sounds of fireworks displays can be sources of stress and fear for our pets as well as local wildlife.
Be proactive and start early when it comes to preparing your animal companions for the upcoming holiday. Make an appointment with your veterinarian now to discuss the possibility of calming medications to reduce anxiety. Your veterinarian will likely not be able to schedule a visit and prescribe medications in the days leading up to holidays like the 4th of July, so it’s important to get started early. Your veterinarian may want to trial a new medication before a stressful event to gauge your pet’s reaction and adjust the dosage if needed.
When discussing calming medications with your veterinarian, it's important to provide them with detailed information about your pet's behavior and any previous experiences they've had with loud and disruptive events like fireworks. Your vet can give you advice on the best course of action to help your pets feel more at ease.
Not all pets require calming medications to cope with the 4th of July fireworks. Your veterinarian may also recommend alternative methods to help alleviate your pets' anxiety, such as creating a safe and quiet space for them to retreat to during fireworks, using white noise machines, or providing them with comforting toys or blankets.
In addition to making a plan with your veterinarian, you can take more steps to ensure your animal companion’s safety during festivities.
- Keep all pets indoors during fireworks displays.
- Make sure your dogs and cats are wearing proper ID tags with accurate information in case they manage to get away from you.
- Use this resource to find the company that manages your pet’s microchip. Give them a call and confirm that your contact information is up to date.
A few quick steps and planning can help your pets feel safer and more comfortable during stressful events and prevent them from getting out and lost.