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Why Do Fireworks Scare My Pet?

Loud noises such as fireworks, can be very scary for our pets. They don’t know that fireworks are used to celebrate holidays, or that the colour of them in the sky is pretty. They hear a very loud unfamiliar noise over and over again. This triggers the flight response in their nervous system, which scares them and their level of sound is very different than ours. If your dog is close to the fireworks, the unfamiliar smell and the noise can cause anxiety.

There are many things we can do to help your pet feel calm at home when fireworks go off, but starting before they get anxious is very important. We don’t want to try something the day of the fireworks; we want to make sure whatever you are using is tried before the fireworks. If your pet doesn’t like fireworks, it’s best to keep them at home.

Things like thunder shirts are a great way to help your pet feel better. It’s a jacket that wraps around your pet and feels like they are getting a hug all the time. It applies gentle pressure, similar to swaddling an infant and stimulates the nervous system to calm them. When you know fireworks will be happening, putting the thunder shirt on a couple of hours before is the best idea. We want your dog to feel calm before the stress occurs.

At Lomsnes Veterinary Hospital, we have a number of anti-anxiety medications we can prescribe that do not sedate your pet. They are used to relax them before a stressful event and make it easier for them to cope. Please contact us if your pet needs some stress relief.

Written by Lomsnes Veterinary Hospital

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