Sing it with me!
Well, Fourth of July isn’t really that horrible a time in general, unless you happen to live in the US and you are a noise-phobic dog. Then, well, then it’s pretty scary.
To us, July 4th is corn on the cob, barbecues and pyrotechnics set to the booming tones of the 1812 Overture. To your dog, man, it is armageddon. The sounds. The vibrations. The yelling. The sulfurous smell of gunpowder. No wonder it’s the most common night for pets to run away.
I have heard and seen horror stories from pets who have not just panicked, but just about lost their minds with overwhelming anxiety. Dogs who have weathered thunderstorms without a thought break through glass doors, scale fences, hang themselves on leashes, get hit by cars. Pets die.
If you’re leaving your dog at home because you’re heading down to the town fireworks display (and leaving her at home is definitely the right choice), make sure the house is secure. Leave the radio on. Have Grandpa dogsit. I don’t want anyone e-mailing me on the 5th with a horrible tale, ok?
I’m posting this reminder early for this reason: if you have a particularly fearful dog or cat, you still have time to get into your vet and get two important things: 1. a microchip, and 2. sedatives.
Be safe! Anyone have any super awesome plans?
Very good and important piece!!! Cats are also very afraid of fireworks!
I blogged about it in my blog this morning as well, hope you have a moment to check it out
Caren Gittleman, Cat Chat, http://opcatchat.blogspot.com
Have a happy and safe 4th!!!!
Thanks for the reminder Dr V . Its leave the TV on and batten down the hatches 🙂
I can add my horror story as well. My very first overnight ER shift was on the 4th of July in Houston. It was madness (I diagnosed and managed my first addisonian crisis, on my own, that night, but that’s a different story). I had this older dog come in after being terrified of the fireworks and running away. They found her confused and very hot, running in traffic on one of the major interstates. She had been home for a while before they brought her in, but she had suffered from massive heat stroke and the damage had already been done. I ran her bloodwork when she got there and it was bad. We tried to save her, but she died from her internal injuries (namely massive liver failure) early that morning (after I had been pleading with the owner for hours to euthanize her – the owner couldn’t bring herself to make the decision to end her pet’s life. It was terrible). Let this be a lesson to you all! Listen to Dr. V and make sure your pet is secure and in a (chemically if need be) happy place!!
Whoa. Thanks for the info Dr. V. This will be my first 4th with Tucker who is scared of fireworks. For some reason ppl have set them off twice by my house so far this year and he freaked. He was shaking so hard he couldnt even crawl into my lap the first time. Both times I just held him tight until he fell asleep. I know from years past that alot of people set fireworks off around my house (even though it illegal), one group in particular around the block pool their money and go to PA to get a Grucci family size load to set off.
I’m just going to stay in with him, probably have some ppl over to my house. It’s just one night of missing out on a big bbq or whatever, and I’d much rather make sure he feels (and IS) safe. Plus too many drunk drivers out on LI that night.
I hadn’t even thought about dogs running away, but that makes sense.
Hope you all have a happy, and safe, weekend.
– Lauren
I have a Tucker too! =3 He’s Brody’s son; pretty gold corgi boy who I call Duck or Duckie. We all huddle downstairs in my storm room. I watch tv, and they get to sleep on my quilt and eat treats. My family has long ago given up on fireworks as ‘entertaining’; I have dogs, and my mom has horses and dogs, so we both are terrified of them freaking out because of the noise. I feel bad for the wildlife.
I pick up Brody’s ashes today. ='(
hugs. I hope you find comfort in your friends and family today, as well as happy memories of Brody.
I am sooo glad my dog isn’t afraid of loud noises. My dad’s dog will eat her cage (literally) to get out to hide in the bathtub (this happened a few times, mostly because of unexpected thunderstorms). I’m surprised she hasn’t broken her teeth. I remember one year, before the pit bull ban came into effect in Ontario, I took my dog out to see fireworks, she wasn’t very interested in them, but was quite happy to lay in the grass with me while I watched. Thankfully nothing bad has ever happened to my dad’s dog, I would be devastated. I’ve never even thought of dogs running away, or really getting hurt because of fireworks. Definitely won’t forget that should I ever have a dog afraid of them!
Bailey always hated fireworks (and thunder), but Sophie hasn’t seemed to have had an issue. We’ll see if Oscar has any problems, although I’m gonna be at home and I live in a quiet neighborhood, so maybe we won’t have to find out.
My plans for the 4th include planting a small plant bed in one of Bailey’s favorite parts of the yard, as a memorial to her. I can’t bear to go to my parents’ house, as we usually do, since she died there last year (before the fireworks started — I think she went when she chose…).
Luckily my house is positioned far enough away from the two spots they set off fireworks in my town that we only hear distant rumbles. It never seems to bother Pru or the kitties.
Every 4th (or this year the 3rd) a neighboring town holds a huge fireworks display. I always see people with their dogs and I always want to chastise them. I have seen dogs freak out once the fireworks start and it makes me so sad. People just don’t think.
Georgie turns into a trembling mess whenever she senses thunderstorms or hears fireworks. Gordy is fine with it, but never says no to a cuddle from the staff. The cat tries to hide under the sofa-which is impossible as it is half her height-even if she tries to squirm under. This weekend I made a comfort cave for Georgie in the bedroom closet. She was much calmer last 4th when she could curl up there. I never leave the house on New Year’s Eve or the 4th because of Georgie’s behavior. Do Addisonian dogs (like Georgie) show more fireworks anxiety than other dogs?
My boy Lambchop had Addison’s. He was fine with fireworks, very fine with them.
Don’t quote me on this but I don’t believe that Addison’s will cause a dog to be more stressed out. However, Addisonian dogs have trouble dealing with stress responses physiologically and so they might need extra medication for times you know stress is coming (even “good” stress). You should definitely discuss with your vet before the holiday weekend to see if what is appropriate for your dog.
This is just from experience. I am NOT a vet and so don’t want to get more specific than that. Addison’s is a careful balancing act that luckily can usually be very well managed if balanced just right.
Annette’s response is spot on!
When Starr came to live with me, it was an October night, and I heard fireworks in the distance, I took her out and slowly walked towards them. She was scared of everything when she got here but that night, we took it slow and had distractions with “nose touches” and treats and she did great and was never afraid of fireworks again. That technique worked for most things and she was very young and impressionable. : )
Fireworks from high on the rooftops in NYC for me (not Starr). She’s cool hanging at home.