With the celebration of the Fourth of July and discharging fireworks, some pet owners experience unwanted and destructive behavior from their dogs because of the anxiety caused by noise, according to veterinarians Dr. Karen Sherman and Dr. Gary France.
"We see a lot of these dogs that have separation anxiety or storm phobia that also have fireworks phobia," Sherman, owner of Oak View Animal Clinic, said, explaining that often it is a fear of noise more than a reaction to barometric pressure changes.
"Dogs that are afraid of thunder tend to be afraid of fireworks," France, owner of Pea Ridge Veterinary Clinic, said. "We do have people come in asking for something to take away the anxiety."
Depending on the severity of the fear, dogs can have increased heart rate and even have health issues, especially if they already have a heart condition, Sherman said. The dogs' reactions can include uncontrollable barking and howling, wetting or soiling itself or in its cage, digging until it harms itself, severe panting and destructive behavior.
Solutions vary, depending on the dog's level of anxiety, both veterinarians said.
France said he has had clients find success with "thunder shirts" and with over-the-counter anti-anxiety medications such as Stress Away.
"Some dogs respond to nothing except tranquilizers," Sherman said.
For prescription medications, the dog must be seen by the veterinarian.
Other concerns include dogs that aren't leashed chasing and catching fireworks burning their mouths.
"We had a client whose dog had gotten the plastic part of a firework caught around its lower jaw. It had to be sedated before it could be removed," Sherman said.
Gunpowder is caustic to the gastro-intestinal tract, Sherman said, warning pet owners to keep fireworks out of the reach of their pets.
For milder anxiety cases, the dogs can sometimes be restrained inside with calming music to mask the noise of the fireworks, Sherman said.
"We don't like to see those bottle rockets," France said, explaining that in extremely dry weather, a field can catch fire from the explosive. He said he hasn't seen real anxiety issues in horses.
"We've heard good reviews on the thunder jacket and Stress Away. Those are natural calming things that don't require a prescription," he said.
General News on 06/25/2014