Constant Noise From Fireworks Is Taking A Toll On Our Pets

It's been a very active month for fireworks here in the Rockford area, and if you've got an anxious dog or cat as a result, you're far from alone.

As Joe Dredge pointed out in his post here a couple of weeks back, it seems that every Rockford neighborhood has at least one "Fireworks guy."

In New York City, for example, authorities fielded about 30 complaints involving fireworks in 2019. This year, from June 1st through June 28th, they've received nearly 9,000 (8,967).

For many of us, the neighborhood fireworks guy ranges anywhere between entertaining and massively annoying. For your pet, though, it can get a lot more serious than that.

New York Post:

“The stress of fireworks right now is a lot on pets,” said Dr. Natara Loose of The Neighborhood Vet in Brooklyn.

Male felines especially can get stressed out by loud noises, affecting their bladders to the point where they’re unable to urinate. Nervous furballs may also stop eating, which can lead to liver failure, she added.

Distressed dog owners have been phoning too, reporting that their pups have suddenly stopped wanting to go on walks past a certain time of the night, and how they start to tremble if they do venture outside.

“Dogs and fireworks do not mix — they get anxious,” says the owner of First Avenue Veterinary Hospital . “People are calling for sedation and meds.”

They often prescribe an oral drug called Trazodone that acts as an anti-anxiety agent but there are other steps pet owners can take as well to relieve stress — including a calming pheromone spray, a constrictive vest, or trying herbal medication, experts said.

They should also monitor their pets’ routines to make sure they’re eating and relieving themselves.

Hopefully, things will begin to quiet down, if only somewhat, after the 4th of July.

This is a little lengthy, but you might find some help from the Dog Whisperer: