Fireworks and your pet

As we celebrate the coming of a new year, tonight is a night filled with food, fun, and fireworks. Communities enjoy watching the colorful and dazzling displays of lights that sparkle and light up the night sky. The bangs, booms and whistles that accompany these displays only add to our excitement. For most pets, however, new year’s eve is filled with terror and fear. 

Animals have a more sensitive sense of hearing than humans do, so noises that are a little loud to us are downright deafening to them. When panicked, our pets will do most anything to get away from a frightening situation. They will break tethers, jump through glass windows and even scale tall fences if necessary. With a little pre-planning you, as a pet owner, can make tonight  a fun and exiting or at least less fear filled for you as well as your pets.

The following is a list of tips to make your pets feel safe and secure:

·        *If possible, it is highly recommended to desensitize your pet to loud noises before the festivities of fireworks begin.  Although it is too late for this New Year’s eve, perhaps before Indepandance day your pet can be more comfortable with the sounds of fireworks. The use of compact discs with recordings of loud and scary noises such as firework explosions, trains, thunder etc… can be used to aid in the desensitization of your pet. Start with the volume down low and gradually increase it to a loud level.

·     *   Do not take your pet to firework displays!! Pets have been known to bolt from owners once the show begins only to be hit by cars in thier mad dash to find somewhere to hide. 

·        *Never set off fireworks near or next to your pet. If ignited to close to your pet, fireworks can cause very painful burns to the body, face, nose and mouth in addition to the psychological trauma they are sure to produce. 

·        *Never leave your pet outside loose in the yard, kennel or tethered. They will have no place to go and the combination of restraint and noise will traumatize them even more.

·        *Make sure all of your pets wear an appropriate fitting collar with proper identification attached, such as a rabies tag or  tag with their name, address and phone number on it. Microchipping your pet is also highly recommended.  

·           *Walk your dog at least 1 hour before the sun sets to  prevent exposure to the fireworks. Take an extra long walk to use up his extra energy if possible.  

·        *Keep your pets inside the house. Make sure there is nothing of value in the room your pet might accidentally break in their moments of panic. It is also a good idea to unplug floor and table lamps and leave fireplaces unlit. 

·        *Feed and water your pet a few hours before confining them to the house or kennel. Make sure you walk them one more time before their confinement begins.

·        *Provide kennels or other “safe places” for your pets to hide. Cover the kennels with blankets to dampen the noise.

·        *Turn on the TV or radio to help drown out the noise of the fireworks to minimize your pets’ exposure to the noise. Keep the volume at a normal level; turning it up too loud may only increase your pets’ anxiety. 

·        *Make sure all doors and windows are securely shut and locked. Shut all blinds and drapes to minimize visual stimuli.

·        *Do not shut off all the lights in the house. By leaving some of the lights on your pet will be calmer and will also reduce the flashes of light affecting your pet. Leaving them in a pitch black room will only frighten them further.

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·        Never punish your pet for its reaction to fireworks or other loud noises.    

·        Petting or reassuring your pet by saying “it’s okay” or “don’t be afraid” can actually reinforce her nervousness and fear. Instead ignore the behavior and try to redirect her attention.

·        Act normally even though your pet is acting abnormally. Talk in a normal voice and do the things you would normally do at that time of the night, such as making dinner or doing the laundry. Your pets take their cues from you so if you act secure and confident so will they. If you act nervous and agitated, your pet will act the same.

Signs of stress in cats include running away and hiding, inappropriate urination or defecation, cowering, trembling/shaking, panting, vocalizing and refusing to eat. 

 

    Signs of stress in dogs include pacing, panting,

inappropriate barking, vomiting, diarrhea, trembling/shaking and refusal to eat. 

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          Before letting your pet outside, do a sweep of your yard to make sure there are no spent fireworks or other                 hazards laying around that your pet may come in contact with.

·        Fireworks contain dangerous chemicals that can cause vomiting, a painful abdomen and bloody diarrhea. More severe reactions such as seizures, tremors and kidney or liver failure may occur depending on the ingredients in the firework ingested.  ·       

When it comes to pets and fireworks, prevention is the key. By following the tips above you can minimize the stress and fear your pet will experience while your family celebrates the coming of a new year!!.