Many dogs have a fear of fireworks and with fireworks season just around the corner we want to ensure our pets are calm, happy and safe. Your dog or cat may already be showing signs of fear at home. These can include changes in behaviour including aggression, excessive barking or howling, overgrooming or chewing, pacing or panting, urination in the home, hiding away, trembling or shaking, a loss of appetite and being more clingy than normal.
You can easily help ease your pet’s anxiety and fear at home by implementing a few simple things.
Start by establishing a quiet area in the home or a room that can serve as a special place for your pet. A den for example can be created in this space using a large crate with plenty of comfortable bedding and blankets. A blanket over the crate will also make the space snugly and give your pet a sense of security by allowing him to hide away. Although keeping in mind, you will need to do these 2-3 weeks in advance so that your pet gets to know it and feel safe there.
We have several products which can help your pet with the anxiety.
One of these which you may want to consider is a pheromone which can assist in the run up to fireworks season by using plug-ins or sprays. Pheromones are natural chemicals that help to alleviate stress, fear, anxiety and noise phobias caused by fireworks. These work by mimicking the mother’s pheromones that would console her puppies and provide comfort and reassurance.
Another natural product comes as a spray or a diffuser and it is a good option, providing calming essential oils as a natural way to help minimize stress and anxiety.
A product like nutra-calm capsules can be given orally, act quickly and do not have a sedative effect. Are all-natural and can be given to both dogs and cats.
And if all is tried and tested without any success and you require medication for your dog then we require one of our vets to check them out. This would entail a health check prior to prescribing an appropriate anti-anxiety medication. Please don’t leave this until the 5th November – make sure you have the medication you need in plenty of time.
In general it is a good ideal to avoid walking your pet at night and keep all pets indoors, try and mask the firework noise by putting on the TV or playing some music. Or even provide different toys and chews to help distract your pet. Additionally, keep all windows and doors shut and if at all possible do not leave your pets alone.
If you feel that your pet needs a little help with anxiety about fireworks, please come in and talk to us about what is available and we can help to reduce your pet’s stress over this fireworks season! Just call us to make an appointment!
