Pets are very commonly scared of fireworks, just like babies. From their perspective, there a lot of very loud sounds & bright lights. They are not familiar with these sounds & lights, thus anxiety occurs. We are here to help them stay calm and enjoy the festivities with us!
HOW DO I KNOW IF MY DOG IS ANXIOUS?
Severe anxiety is usually obvious, but there are quite a few more subtle signs that come before full-blown panic such as:
- Lip licking repetitively
- Ears pinned down to the head
- Hair/hackles standing up along back
- Pacing
- Not wanting to eat
There are more severe symptoms that can be quite alarming such as:
- Digging
- Destructive behavior: chewing on walls/shoes/etc, crashing through windows, scratching at doors, etc
- Sudden aggression, especially with other pets
What can you do at home to help calm your pet?
You can do many things to help alleviate your pet’s stress. In a perfect world, we would remove whatever is stressing them. Unfortunately, we can’t really stop the Fourth of July, but we can make it easier on them.
Give them a safe place
If we give them a safe place to hide, that usually helps alleviate stress. Finding them a quiet, dark, cozy places such as:
- Covering their kennel with a blanket
- Putting some blankets & toys in a closet
- Hiding under the bed
- Anywhere they feel safe
Giving them comfort
If your pet is asking for pets & cuddles, absolutely love on them! But some pets just want to hide & be alone. That is okay too! What is most important is giving them whatever they need!
What if that isn’t cutting it?
Sometimes, despite our best efforts, our pets stress levels are too high to manage at home. The noise & excitement of fireworks is a lot of stress for them.
But there is hope! We have many pharmaceutical options that result in varying degrees of relaxation. Of course, if needed, we can help them sleep, but usually a little dose of anxiety medication helps them relax.
