It's THAT weekend again :-(
I've been praying for rain every evening, to cut down on the number of fireworks lit, to no avail. We live on a large lake, so it's a nonstop barrage of fireworks for weeks (until all the corner fire...
Forum Discussion
DiskDoctr wrote:
Fireworks are awesome!
I wonder if there is something pet owners can do to help their dogs be comforted during fireworks, thunderstorms, or other noises?
I also wonder if it isn't a responsibility of the owners to address these excessive fears and behaviors of their pets, and not the burden of everyone else to walk on eggshells.
...
Spoken by someone who has never had to deal with a pet, child or adult terrified by loud noises. I've spent my whole career trying to address these issues with pets. I have access to every medication OTC and prescription, calming training techniques, diversion, equipment like Thundershirts and I still can't uniformly succeed with every animal (including my own).
"Dealing with it" often ends up trying to minimize discomfort - in our case the shower is the spot most secure after a dose of Alprazolam, TV is loud and we're home.
I've treated burns and concussive trauma due to stupid use of fireworks and dispensed huge volumes of sedatives and spent countless hours counselling owners. I've sutured lacerations due to animals trying to escape the sounds both going through windows and trying to go under fences.
And I don't advocate the elimination of fireworks, just reasonable use that considers others.
Doug, DVM
