July Fourth can also be very tough on your dog.
Your Facebook page is likely filled with people wondering if there's anything they can do knowing how loud it's going to be tonight.
NewsChannel 5 asked a local vet to tell us how to prepare dogs for those stressful situations.
The boarding suite at Clint Moore Animal Hospital is crowded with canines. “Right now we're almost at our maximum,” said Dr. Lindsay Butzer.
Butzer showed us who’s staying the night while their owners are taking in the Fourth of July. “They just don't want their dog home during fireworks, where they do get stressed out,” said Dr. Butzer.
Dr. Butzer made this YouTube video just in time: https://youtu.be/_7UrNPT7eak
“I recommend holding them, making sure they're in a safe environment,” explained Dr. Butzer. “Don't leave them alone in a dark room or a bathroom.”
Dr. Butzer also recommends products like the Thunder Shirt. “It makes them feel safe and constrained,” she commented.
And a calming collar. “It has pheromones in it that a mother dog would release, a mother dog scent,” explained Dr. Butzer. “So when the dogs wear this they smell that and it calms them down, makes feel very comfortable.”
Also calming are anxiety medications like Trazodone and Valium, even a gel, all of which must be prescribed by your veterinarian. “It relaxes them so they don't get as stressed out,” said Dr. Butzer.
Out back, Van Sharp the kennel manager, is preparing for tonight, “We're going to give them some anxiety meds just to help calm their nerves,” said Sharp.
Before that, even the pool party has a purpose on the Fourth. “We want them tired so when they go inside for the rest of the evening, they're tired, they're zonked out and they're not barking all the time,” said Sharp.
Dr. Butzer says other alternatives include giving your dog about a teaspoon of Benadryl or half a tablet of Pepcid. She says it’s best to call your vet for the right dosage.
