Hello All, since tomorrow is a major (and majorly FUN!) holiday for the U.S., we thought we’d share some ways to reduce stress for your pet during 4th of July, so that they can have an enjoyable holiday too!
Of course, we humans will be enjoying grilled food, music, fireworks, and parties. But for our pets, this can be a noisy and often frightening time of year.
You may be surprised to know that the 4th of July is the single biggest day of the year for pets to go missing! They tend to panic and run off due to the noise and commotion associated with the holiday.
So here are some ways to reduce stress for your pet….
…because we all know firework-popping usually doesn’t begin or end on the 4th of July, but before and after.
Ways to reduce stress for your pet:
• Keep them indoors, even if the festivities are happening at your house. Give them a room that is just for them, off-limits to your partygoers, and well-insulated from sound (a basement works great!). Be sure to put their beds and plenty of blankets or towels in the room with them so that they can burrow and make their own “pet cave” for comfort. Turn the radio on with soothing music or leave a TV on at a comfortable volume to help drown out noise from firecrackers, and close windows and blinds. Give them plenty of toys and treat them often; this should not be a timeout for them. Also, be sure to leave a fan on and plenty of drinking water in the room in case they get too warm.
• If you must keep your pet outside, keep them blocked from the view of passersby. People have been known to throw firecrackers near fences with pets to get a reaction, which can have a negative effect on your pet.
• One of the great ways to reduce stress in your pet is by hugging them. They love you, therefore, they love your embrace, and it makes them feel secure. Of course, you can’t spend your entire 4th of July holiday hugging your pet to death! They might actually get annoyed with you 😉 But you CAN try compression garments such as the Thunderhsirt and the Calming Cap (which will help some dogs when nothing else will).
• Use pheromone sprays, collars, and/or diffusers. There is Adaptil for dogs and Feliway for cats, which can help take the edge off for many pets. They’re safe and easy to use but work best as part of a program over time.
• Supplements such as Anxitane and Zylkene can be a great help to noise-phobic pets. Ideally, though, they need to be started a week or two in advance.
• Since exercise is one the greatest ways to reduce stress, take your dog for a long walk or hike earlier in the day, before the festivities begin. If a dog has less energy, he’ll be less prone to panic during the evening.
• In thinking of ways to reduce stress for your pet, keep the following items as far away from them as possible, as they can pose serious risks to your pet:
– Firecrackers
– Lighter fluid
– Matches
– Citronella
– Insect repellent & sunscreen
– Holiday table scraps (there may be too big a variety of foods to be discerning)
– Glow jewelry
– Alcohol of all kinds
• Lastly, you may ask your veterinarian for a prescription for alprazolam, the generic for Xanax. It’s the best of the prescription sedatives for noise phobias. You may need to have it compounded for your cat, so don’t leave it until the last minute.
That’s it for now, folks!…
For more information about our pet care and house sitting services, please give us a call at (505) 410-7954 or email us at info@duckandturtle.com
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Your pals,
~ Duck & Turtle
Wishing everyone a festive, safe, and informed (on ways to reduce stress for your pet) 4th Of July!! Happy Birthday, USA!!! 😀
Duck & Turtle Pet and Home Care 