Fireworks season is upon us and once again will be a period of great anxiety for pets and 
their owners. Some figures state that 80% of pets are scared of fireworks, so there is a good chance your pet is one of them
The good news is that help is at hand, so if you have any concerns please contact one of our Veterinary Nurses, who will be pleased to help.
It is very important to take a long-term view when thinking about controlling this fear in our pets, but unfortunately we are too close to the season for these plans to be put into place and be effective. However there are a number of things we can do to try to alleviate our pets’ fears during this time, even at short notice:
- Provide a den or a hiding place that is comfortable and warm that can act as a retreat for your pet. Sometimes an old tee-shirt that fits snuggly can be fitted to your pet to provide some comfort and security. Remember to remove it afterwards though.
- Muffle the sounds of fireworks by playing music, turning up the TV and closing doors and windows and curtains.
- Keep them inside – no pet wants to go for a walk with fireworks exploding around them
- Don’t over-fuss them
- Stay calm yourself and don’t get angry – our pets can sense our moods, so no matter how frustrated you are with the effect of the noise on your pet, it’s important to stay relaxed and calm for your pet.
- Prepare for unusual behaviour and don’t be alarmed if your pet changes it’s usual routine
- Talk to us about your worries, as there are a number of products that can help in different ways, such as:
i) Medication – there are a number of different drugs that can be considered and that have helped many of our patients in the past. It is however very important to use these drugs correctly and many are best used a week or so prior to the onset of fireworks.
ii) Dog appeasing pheromone
iii) Diets have also been formulated that claim to calm pets down
Long-term protocols.
The best solution for all pets is to try to get them to a point where they are no longer scared of loud noises such as fireworks. The main strategy available to us is the use of sound desensitisation therapy in the form of DVD’s. Combined with other products like pheromone therapy, these have achieved good success if used correctly.
Correct use of sound desensitisation programmes should start early on in the year and take many months to become effective. The ideal time to start such programs would be in early February, continuing on through the year.
