Last night I heard, off in the distance, the unmistakable sound of firecrackers being set off in some kind of 10:32pm celebration. My first urge was to yell out the word "cookieworks"! You see, our old dog Seso (who passed away at 15 in October) had noise phobia and this time of year was difficult for her (until she started to lose her hearing). We tried various medications throughout the years but what seemed to work the best for her (and her cookie motivation) was treats whenever fireworks were let off. We would be out in the yard and firecrackers would boom - we'd yell "cookieworks" and hand her a tasty treat. It got to the point where she'd flinch at the noise, and then immediately look at one of us with her tail wagging - suddenly not so worried and definitely looking for her reward.

Fireworks - fun for people, scary for dogs

Noise phobia makes the 4th of July and the surrounding weekends (or weeks in our neighborhood) difficult for pets and pet owners alike. The panting, shaking, hiding, trying to climb on top of your head or hiding under the toilet makes us feel terrible for our best friends. And with hearing more acute than ours, they usually detect the issue long before we notice. The very best treatment for noise phobia is behavioral training. We're a little late in the year with the 4th only a few days away but we can consider this for next year. Please email me or comment if you'd like more information.

This year it is important to do what works best for your pet. If you can take a trip and camp or travel with your dog during the 4th of July weekend to somewhere quiet and fireworks free we can practice avoidance. If you and your dog will be staying in town there are some mild interventions to consider. DAP (Dog Appeasing Pheramone) collars and plug ins are a nice mild way to calm nervous dogs. This pheramone is the same one the nursing mother dog releases and it serves to give comfort. The collars are nice because your dog can wear it wherever they go - you never know when mid day firecrackers are going to go off. These collars and plug ins should be started now (or ideally 2 weeks before) for the best effects. Daily exercise can also help, tired dogs often times have less energy to be worried. For those loud and bright nights your pet should be placed in an interior room with no windows. Turn on the radio, but instead of soothing music, try some dance or rap music with a heavy baseline. This will cover the sound of the fireworks.

D.A.P. Collar

A few very important things to avoid with your noise phobic dog are:

1. Leaving them outside during the next few weeks - very fearful dogs can dig or climb fences and run away. 

2. Try to calm or soothe your dog while it is frightened. This actually rewards the unwanted behavior. The best thing is to talk in a quiet but confident voice and ignore the unwanted behavior.

If you know your dog is noise phobic, antianxiety medication or sedatives can be very helpful during this time of year. These need to be requested before the fearful event because prescriptions require a recent exam for dispensing. Alprazolam works great for phobic dogs and can really take away their anxiety. I have had reports from clients that it takes away some of their inhibitions as well. For example, closet counter surfers suddenly practice their craft out in the open. Acepromazine is a classic sedative used for 4th of July. Both medications need to be given an hour before desired effects and both have a pretty good dosage range. It's best to know your dog's ideal dose before the frightening event.

Seso loves her cookies

If you think your pet needs medication for the holiday, please call and schedule an appointment right away. Mt. Tabor Veterinary Care will be closing for the Independence Day Holiday. Our hours this week are: 

Monday - closed (as usual)

Tuesday - 10am - 8pm

Wednesday - 10am - 8pm

Thursday - closing EARLY 10am - 2pm

Friday (July 4th) - closed

Saturday - closed

Have a great holiday weekend! Enjoy friends, family, and fuzzy companions in celebration of this patriotic day.