Last Updated: June 30, 2017 | in Pet Health

Does your pet have storm and firework anxiety?

We have a solution….

Anxious dog in stormWith the summer season upon us as well as the Fourth of July, you may be at a loss of ways to help their pet who experiences fear and anxiety. As a pet owner, we encourage you to call your Veterinarian to talk about options that will be best suited for your pet.

We want you to know that anxiety is real; your pet may feel as though the world is caving in on them and they don’t know what to do to stop it. Imagine hearing all of these sounds, not knowing what is causing the sound, and not being able to understand what we are saying to try to console them. Here are some tips to help your pet cope with these fears and noises.

  • Make a safe place for your pet, a place that they like to go themselves when a storm comes or fireworks are going off. This is a place they feel the safest: it may be a kennel, under the bed or in a bathroom. Wherever that place in the house is make it comfortable place blankets there, favorite toys or even your clothing for a scent.
  • There are also medications specific for anxiety. We do not want to simply sedate your pet, because it will not help their fear and can sometimes make it worse because they still have the fear, but are unable to react appropriately to their surroundings. Instead we use a medication that will calm them and relieve anxiety helping them to feel more at ease and cope with their anxiety.
  • You can also try pheromones, or even a special jacket that works with pressure points called a Thunder Shirt.

If you have any questions about fear and anxiety with your pet please feel free to contact our office so we may help!