Pet owners are aware that fireworks and thunder storms can cause great distress for some animals like dogs. Noise phobias which is the fear of loud sounds such as fireworks, thunder, gunshot is common in pets. Your pet might be affected by loud noises and cannot control his reaction to it. The commonly seen signs of noise phobias are as follows:
- Excessive drooling
- Lose control over bladder or bowel control or face temporary diarrhea due to prolonged stress
- Barking, howling
- Shaking, trembling
- Trying to hide or get under the bed, fence, or other closed areas
- Refusing to eat food
Keep pets indoors:
It is advisable to minimize the source of sound by closing the curtains, turning on the TV or radio to distract your pet. Calming or classical music will be a great option in keeping your dog calm by providing an audio distraction.
Provide a safe “escape” place:
Pets may seek an enclosure, if they are fearful or stressed. So, you can create a crate, bed or similar place where your pet can feel safe. It is recommended that you familiarize your pet with this safe place in advance to reduce their stress during fireworks and thunderstorms.
Unlock the treat jar
In times of distress, dogs could use a distraction when the surroundings are too load. You can load up on your pet’s favorite food when fireworks reach the fevered pitch.
Practice fire safety:
Keep your pet away from inflammable objects such as lighter fuel, open fires, matches, and fireworks – like the ones lighted on the ground as they may try to sniff or eat them.
Try the “thunder shirt”
Thunder shirt is a simple trick that can help your pet from going into a full-fledged panic attack. This do-it-yourself technique aims to wrap up your dog to make him feel protected and snug and help to suppress his urge to run like hell.
Keep current pet Id:
Ensure that your pet ID is latest to see that your pet has proper identification tags. Having current information is necessary in case s/he gets away due to stress or panic. This will assist the local authorities to track the poor frightened runaways.