Many people love the 4th of July for the fireworks and parties. However, there are some important things to keep in mind if you have pets in order to keep them safe. Now you may be wondering: what could be dangerous for my pet on the 4th of July?
Both firework shows and parties often contain elements that could potentially harm your pet. This is because parties often include things like fatty foods and alcohol, which can be very damaging to pets when they eat them. In addition, fireworks can damage a pet’s ears and cause extreme anxiety.
In this article we will list all of the 4th of July pet safety tips that you should follow this upcoming holiday. In addition, we will give you some additional tips on how you can keep your pet calm during this stressful time. If you have any questions, feel free to call our animal hospital in Holmdel, NJ, at (732) 671-3110.
Keep Your Pet Calm
It is very common for pets to become very anxious when they hear fireworks. After all, they are very loud and the sound can be very frightening for dogs and cats. Unfortunately, this extreme anxiety caused by fear can sometimes cause your pet to get lost or injure themselves.
As a result, it is a good idea to keep your pet calm during times that you know there are going to be fireworks. You can keep your pet calm by:
Giving Them Room
Put your pet in a safe, calm, and secure room.
Giving Them Distractions
Put on the TV, calming music, or white noise to drown out the sound of the fireworks.
Getting Special Headphones
There are some noise cancelling headphones that are made for dogs that can be purchased online.
Getting Them Medicated
You may be able to get prescribed anxiety medication from your veterinarian.
These things will be able to help reduce your pet’s anxiety to the point where it should be manageable. This way they are less likely to injure themselves or run away out of fear. However, it is still a good idea to have your pet microchipped and have a collar on them in case they do attempt to escape somehow.
Don’t Feed Your Pet New Foods
Most people love enjoying their favorite treats on the 4th of July, but most of these delicious foods are very unhealthy for dogs and cats.
Although dogs can have a bit of a hot dog or hamburger, they definitely should not eat lots of these tasty foods. Meanwhile, pizza, chicken wings, alcohol, and sugar snacks should never be given to pets.
It is also a good idea to keep your dog away from grilling areas if they can reach the grill. This way you do not need to worry about them jumping up to grab that hot hamburger. No one wants their pet to be sick or injured, so it is best to keep these foods and hot surfaces out of reach.
Keep Dangerous Objects Out of Reach
In addition to harmful foods and grills, there are some other objects that are commonly found on the 4th of July that could be potentially dangerous to your pet.
These items include but may not be limited to lighters, matches, lighter fluid, and fireworks. As you can imagine, it is always best to keep these out of reach to all of your pets.
Do Not Set Off Fireworks Near Your Pet
Fireworks are extremely loud, and the sound could actually damage your pet’s ears. As a result, it is never a good idea to set off fireworks near your pet.
To avoid having fireworks damage your dog or cat’s ears it is important to leave them in a secure room indoors. You can even make your pets more comfortable by following the tips we gave for keeping your pet calm earlier in this article.
If You Are Going to a Firework Show, Leave Your Dog at Home
Most people don’t take their cats out to parks and other outdoor areas, so this safety tip is mostly for dog owners.
As we have previously mentioned fireworks can really damage a dog’s ears and cause some extreme anxiety at times. As a result, it is never a good idea to bring your dog with you to a firework show, even if it is happening in a dog friendly park.
Leaving your dog at home when you go to a firework show will protect your dog’s ears from being damaged by the fireworks. It will also keep your dog from running away from you out of fear and getting lost in the crowd.
When leaving your dog home alone on the 4th of July you should always leave them in a safe, calm, and secure room. It may also help to play a TV, some calming music, or white noise to drown out the sound of the fireworks.
In addition, it always helps to give your dog their prescribed anxiety medication if he has some. These tips will prevent your dog from injuring themselves, attempting to escape, or engage in other common anxiety-caused behaviors such as excessive barking and chewing.
It is also a good idea to keep your pet’s microchip information up to date and put a collar on your pet before you leave. This way your pet can be more easily found if they do happen to escape from your home.
The 4th of July is a very exciting and fun holiday, and it has made itself a favorite among many Americans. However, the fireworks and 4th of July parties that most people look forward to can potentially contain elements that could harm your pets. As a result it is always important to:
- Keep your pets calm
- Avoid feeding your pet new, fatty, and sugary foods
- Keep dangerous objects out of reach
- Keep pets inside when setting off fireworks
- Keep pets at home when going to firework shows
When following these 4th of July pet safety tips you are helping to ensure your pet’s safety, reduce your pet’s anxiety and keep them calm, and ensure that you will have a fun 4th of July without any incidents. For more tips, call our Holmdel, NJ, animal hospital at (732) 671-3110.