Behavior, Celebrate

Is your pet afraid of fireworks? We know what to do!

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.

If you would like to explore pharmaceutical options, please give us a call to make an appointment!

Behavior, FYI, Just for Fun

Fourth of July Safety Tips

The Fourth of July is a festive, noise holiday filled with good, old-fashioned family fun. For us, humans. For our pets, the Fourth can be both exciting and scary. We have more pet emergencies on the Fourth of July than almost any other holiday! Keep reading to learn how to keep your pets safe this Fourth!

The biggest tip we can give you is to keep your pets calm. A safe, dark, and quiet place can go a long way to keeping your pets safe. If that is not enough, we can always try some relaxation medications (contact your veterinarian for recommendations). Microchipping can be a lifesaver if they do happen to take a midnight stroll.

The Fourth is full of yummy summer treats but a lot of those goodies are not safe for your pet. Icecream, beer, and chocolate are among the top culprits of doggy stomach aches after the Fourth. Keep your pets safe from tummy-killers just like you would those fireworks. Above all, common sense is key. If it makes your pet feel calmer and/or safer, it works for us!

Alert, Behavior, FYI

What can you do when your dog is afraid of fireworks this Fourth?

The Fourth is almost here! It is a sad truth but more pets go missing due to firework anxiety than any other holiday. Feel out of options? Not sure what to do? That is why we are here!

Whether it is just changing your routine, bringing them in the house, or using calming medication, there are lots of options for this issue!

Here is a quick & easy list of some simple things you can do to calm down your anxious pet this Fourth:

  1. Bring them inside the garage or inside your home.
    • This seems almost obvious, but seeing that bright flash from a firework is almost as scary as hearing it to your pet.
  2. Find them a safe place to hide whether it be a closet or under the bed.
    • Providing that cozy space gives them a place to feel secure.
  3. Play TV or other background noise to lessen the volume of the fireworks.
  4. Pet them and soothe them: Your animals feel much calmer when you are calm.
  5. Relaxation medications: Some pets are so severely affected that they need some pharmaceutical help. That is completely okay and their friends will not make fun of them! We have a variety of safe, effective calming medications that we use all the time for noise phobias like this.

Want to learn more or hear about our calming medication options? Give us a call at (918)865-4733 or message us now!