Summer Time Issues for our Pets

Each year, school kids anxiously look forward to the last days of school, eager to be away from the responsibility of homework and assignments.  Summer is a time for adventure, staying up late and enjoying the warm weather holidays, like the Fourth of July.

Unfortunately, our pets may not see things EXACTLY the same way!!

For many dogs, cats and even large animals, like horses and livestock, the noise and excitement associated with Independence Day is almost unbearable.  Local animal shelters report higher numbers of loose and roaming animals after the fourth of July and some pets have even been known to injure themselves in an effort to get away from the loud noises.  Even if your pet seems to tolerate fireworks, curious dogs have been burnt or hurt chasing sparklers, bottle rockets and even running towards a thrown firecracker!

Your pet may not be bothered by the noise of fireworks, but we still recommend that you avoid taking your pet to any area where people congregate to watch fireworks.  Even the best behaved pet might act erratically with the combination of large numbers of people and the loud booms, crackles and explosive lights.  You don’t want to risk losing your dog in a crowd of strangers OR the chance that someone might be bit.

Likewise, if you are heading out to enjoy the celebrations, don’t let your dog stay alone outside, even in a fenced in yard.  Our emergency hospital routinely sees cases of lacerations or other injuries caused by pets attempting to jump, climb or dig under fences.

If you know your pet will be bothered by the noises, or if you aren’t 100% sure, find a quiet interior room for your pet to stay the evening of the Fourth of July.  Sometimes, a radio or TV will provide enough distractive noise to drown out the worst of the fireworks.  In severe cases of noise anxiety, we might be able to prescribe a medication or supplement to help your pet relax a little bit. 

We all want to spend quality time with our pets and the summertime offers lots of opportunities for that.  Just remember that there are a few events where it’s best to leave the pet at home and firework celebrations definitely fit that bill!