You Might Love Fireworks And BBQ Food, But Do Your Pets?

For many of us, fourth of July is filled with exciting firework displays and an abundance of barbequed treats - but for our pets, it could bring panic and danger.

“It’s usually one of the busiest days of the year in emergency rooms,” said Dr. Sonja Olson, senior emergency clinician with BluePearl, an emergency and specialty veterinary service.

Veterinarians tend to see 25 percent or more patients than normal on Independence Day.

“The noise of fireworks – including that string of firecrackers set off by your neighbor– sometimes causes panic in pets, the veterinary service said. “Scared dogs have been known to charge into glass doors or bolt outside into traffic.”

Busy celebrations and unknowing party guests also give pets ample opportunity get into foods they shouldn’t be eating.

Foods such as:

• onions
• garlic
• avocados
• grapes
• raisins
  
• chocolate

In order to help keep your pet safe this holiday weekend, BluePearl Veterinary Partners have provided the following tips:

• During fireworks, make sure your dogs or cats are in safe, indoor places where they cannot escape or get hurt. Turn on music or television for comforting background noise. You also can play a game with them or give them a favorite toy.

• If your pets are especially nervous about fireworks, consult your family veterinarian about whether to give them anti-anxiety medicine. But this is a step you should take at least a day or two before the fireworks start popping so you can see how your pet will respond to the medication. Another option is to buy a specially designed, snug-fitting jacket which comforts dogs by applying pressure around their bodies.

• After the family barbecue, don’t treat your dogs to leftover bones from steak, ribs, chicken or other human food. The bones often splinter and may become a choking hazard.

• The safest policy is to avoid giving human food to pets because so much of it can be harmful to them. If you want your pets to celebrate along with you, buy them a few extra pet treats while stocking up on your own groceries.

• Don’t let your pets stay outside in the heat for long periods of time, especially if they’re not used to it. If pets do get overheated, spray them down with water that is cool or room temperature – but never ice water, which causes a decrease in blood flow to the skin and makes things even worse.