The Fourth of July is only days away and you know what that means – festivals, food, and fireworks galore! While it’s a paw-ty in the USA for many of us, it can be a tough time for our four-legged friends. Read on for some tips and tricks to safely celebrate the red, white, and blue while including your pup.
Fireworks
Our pets are more sensitive than us to loud noises, flashing lights and strong odors – all things that make up a good firework display. On the Fourth of July and other days when people are likely to set off fireworks, the best thing you can do is leave your pet at home, indoors.
Keep your pets inside where they can’t escape and get lost. A quiet room with music or the TV on to mask the noise of fireworks is perfect, and don’t forget to close any windows and curtains! Giving your pet somewhere to hide that they can access at all times can be helpful as well; a crate, under furniture or in a quiet corner will often do the trick.
If your pet experiences extreme anxiety, talk to your veterinarian. There are medications and techniques available that may help alleviate your pet’s stress and fear.
BBQs
What’s the Fourth of July without a backyard BBQ? Whether you’re into gas, propane or charcoal, open flames can be dangerous. Never leave the grill unattended and keep pets at a safe distance.
Once the grilling is done and it’s time to eat, it can be tempting to feed your four-legged friend a bite or two from your plate. If you’re Team Table Scraps, avoid these common BBQ staples:
- Bones – If you give a dog a bone, there’s a chance they will seriously hurt themselves and damage their internal organs. Cooked bones break up easier but the shards can be extremely dangerous once ingested.
- Onions, garlic, chives, etc. – Alliums, as they’re called, are poisonous and will make your pup sick. Skip these AND avoid a trip to the vet!
- Corn on the cob – Two words… choking hazard. Even if Fido does successfully get it down, this delicious snack is likely to cause bowel obstruction. Again, we’re just trying to keep you from going to the emergency vet this Independence Day.
Instead, opt for these pup-friendly foods:
- Hotdogs – Don’t forget to cut them into bite-sized snacks!
- Grilled sweet peppers, zucchini, or sweet potato
- Unseasoned chicken, fish, or steak
- Seedless watermelon
And of course, if there is alcohol, do not let your pet consume it. Not only can alcohol cause intoxication, but it can lead to depression and even comas in pets.
Festivals
Outside of their home and comfort zone, surrounded by unfamiliar sights, sounds and smells, your well-behaved pooch could quickly become fearful and anxious. All these factors combined can lead to your dog acting out from a place of stress, unintentionally biting someone, or breaking away from you and getting lost.