Some of your furry friends may not appreciate all the festivities that come with celebrating the Fourth of July — particularly those that are loud and bright. But a D.C.-area veterinarian has some tips on helping pets cope with fireworks.
Though cats can also be “skittish” around the decorative explosives, veterinarian Ashly Smith, D.C.-area regional medical director for Bond Vet, tells WTOP it’s mostly dogs — of any age or breed — who react poorly to firework displays.
“There’s the unpredictability — we know what we’re looking at, we know that we’re about to see beautiful fireworks light up in front of us,” Smith said. “But these animals have no idea what this physical sound is, it’s just startling to them.”
Imagine all of the pots in your cupboard fall at one, Smith said. That feeling is similar to what dogs are going through. And as “smart” animals, they’re conditioned to react to a boom of thunder or firework the same way over and over.
Drooling and destruction — both signs of stress
Dogs who are feeling stressed around fireworks may begin trembling, shaking, pacing, drooling excessively or hiding, she said.
“My own personal dog would go into my closet and hide in the back corner,” Smith said.
Other pets take a more targeted approach.
“Some dogs can actually become destructive where they are tearing up rugs or blinds because they’re just so worked up and they don’t know what’s going on,” Smith said.
What can pet owners do to help?
There are lots of options for pet owners to help ease their animals’ anxiety.
Environmental approach
Homeopathic methods like thunder shirts can help calm pets by hitting trigger points.
“Give them their favorite snack and just try to make it as a positive experience as you can,” she said.
If you live near where a fireworks display is about to go off, it may help to block out the loud noises.
“I tell owners to put their bed or their kennel in the bathroom or the bathtub, put on some white noise,” she said. “Keep it nice and calm in there.”
Pets who typically have “noise phobias” to things like garbage trucks or thunderstorms may be better off in a room where they cannot get out to prevent them from running away.
Making sure your pet is microchipped is another precaution Smith recommends in the event a pet gets out of your home.
Medicinal approach
For those pets who are a bit more anxious, or pet owners who are a bit worried, Smith said veterinarians can prescribe sedatives or medications that treat anxiety. In fact, she recommended having medications on hand.
“It always helps to just start it even the day before because if you give it to them too late, we’re not going to see the effects of it [in time],” she said, adding that coupling medication with other approaches works best.
Supplements with the ingredient tryptophan (the same stuff that makes you sleepy after eating turkey), can also help, Smith said. While they aren’t regulated, Smith said some of her clients also use THC gummies to treat dogs’ anxiety.
Desensitizing approach
Some pet owners may hope to bring a pet along to the festivities. If you aren’t sure how your pet is going to react to fireworks, Smith recommended some ways to help get a pet used to loud noises.
“You could test and see with just like a sparkler or small fireworks in your own yard … just to see how they react,” she said. “But I typically will say desensitization works best with media, playing it from your phone, playing it up on your stereo.”
Outside of fireworks, Smith reminded pet owners to be mindful of what food pets can get to during holiday cookouts.
“Corn on the cob is a very common foreign body in our dogs that almost always requires surgery to go in and get it out because it can cause a blockage in their intestinal loops,” she said, adding that skewers for kebabs also pose a danger.
And of course, keep pets away from hot grills (where they might try to jump up and grab a taste) or firework displays to avoid accidental burns.
