Bruno is one of the few cats who doesn’t scare easily during New Year’s Eve and July 4th fireworks.
“When I first adopted Bruno,” says Dr Sherry Hill, Medical Director at Firehouse Cedar Park, “I wasn’t sure how he’d react to storms and fireworks. I kept him in a small room that first New Year’s. I stayed with him and turned everything on — the fan, the AC, the TV. I was trying to make lots of background noise.”
Bruno was fine! Every year since, he’s cuddled in Dr Hill’s lap during New Year’s Eve and July 4th fireworks.
7 ways to keep your pets safe while humans celebrate
Once we know how your pet will react to loud sounds, we can focus on a plan to keep your pet calm on December 31st.
- Talk to your veterinarian. We have great ideas to help, and we may already know your pet and their personality. Your veterinarian may discuss a variety of things, such as anti-anxiety medications, over-the-counter medications, nutraceuticals, training, and more! We can prescribe the best dose of a medication (or a combination of medications). Since this might be a trial and error process, the sooner you start this conversation, the better! Schedule an appointment.
- Keep them in a safe space. During fireworks or loud gatherings, keep pets inside with collars on, doors locked, and away from windows. Drown out sounds with a sound machine, the television, a fan, or Dog Radio. Keep the room dark for cats.
- Keeps pets away from fireworks and sparklers if you’re setting them off at home. Dogs’ and cats’ hearing is sensitive. Loud bangs may damage their ears. Also, we don’t want dogs to fetch lit fireworks, which can cause serious burns or death.
- Consider boarding your pet. Alone in a house, a loud noise can turn a well-behaved dog into a destructive one. They could even become a flight risk! If you are concerned about your pet being home without you, a boarding facility may be the best choice. Firehouse has a daycare and overnight boarding facility with 2 locations in Austin (Round Rock and Kyle) called Firehouse Pet Resort.
- Use calming pheromones like Adaptil for dogs and Feliway for cats. We sell those on our online pharmacy.
- Identification: Ensure your pet’s microchip or collar tags are up-to-date so they’re easy to track down in the event they run away.
- Helpful Products: Consider supportive things such as Thundershirts for a supportive hug and RexSpecs Ear Pro to help with soundproofing. Remember, these will require preparation and training with your dog prior to the time of need.
Fireworks don’t have to be a source of anxiety for pet owners. Follow our tips to ensure your holidays are fun and relaxing.
And as always, we’re here to answer your questions. Call us 24/7.
