Dogs, cats, noise phobias and fireworks
Take time to think about the effect of loud noises on your pets.
The popularity of fireworks has increased in recent years and now fireworks can be set off at any time of the year, to celebrate birthdays or weddings as well as religious celebrations and various ‘New Years’.
Fireworks season can be difficult for pets with a sound sensitivity; their anxiety levels rise in anticipation of fireworks as they can associate changes in seasons with an event. As pets will start to become increasingly anxious about fireworks, you need to start thinking and planning for this annual event in advance.
There are a few fundamentals that you can prepare in advance which will help your pet through a stressful event such as fireworks or parties:
Provide a den
An important step is to ensure your pet has a safe haven or den to retreat to; an area that they feel secure in. Ideally this should be in an internal room that is easily accessible and away from windows.
Use Adaptil or Feliway
The use of Adaptil® (a synthetic copy of the dog appeasing pheromone) has been shown to reduce anxiety and help dogs cope with challenging situations, including firework events, as demonstrated in many scientific studies. Also available for cats is Feliway®.
Ask in clinic for these products, they are stocked all year round.
The fireworks season can be a difficult time of year for many adult dogs and cats. The good news is that there are many options and tools available and we can make a real difference for our companions. There are a lot of ways you can help with your dogs and cats through anxious times and stressful events. Come and see us for latest advice and information.