Every year I post an article that shows things at the last minute you can do to help your dog afraid of fireworks. We come up on Independence Day and Canada Day and that means Smell and Bommer. Over the years I have fine -tuned my list.
But here is a previous reminder with the most important tip of everyone.
See your veterinarian about medicine (or talk to the clinic staff with text or phone if it is an option).
“There are new products on the market as well as several opportunities that have been around for years. Here’s what Dr. Lynn Honeckman, resident veterinary behavior, says about the benefits of medicine.
Now is the perfect time to add an anti-anxiety medicine to your fireworks preparation set. The right medicine will help your pet stay calm while it does not cause significant sedation. It is important to practice trials with medicine before the actual holiday so that the effect can be tested correctly.
There are a number of medications or combinations that your veterinarian may prescribe. Medications such as Sileo, Clonidine, Alprazolam, Gabapentin or Trazodone are the best to try because of their rapid entry of action (typically within one hour) and short duration of the effect (4-6 hours).
Medications such as Acepromazine should be avoided as they provide sedation without the anti-anxiety effect, and can potentially cause an increase in fear.
Pets suffering from severe fear may need a combination of medication to achieve the appropriate effect, and doses may be increased or reduced in the test phase. In the end, there is no need to let a pet suffer from noise phobia. Now is the perfect time to talk to your veterinarian. “
Dr. Lynn Honeckman
I am writing this year with a new urgent character. Although I have had a clinically healthy phobic dog before, Lewis is my first dog who has clinical thunder and fireworks phobia. We are reviewing it now and I hate to think about how much more affected his life would be without medicine. The medians have a direct positive effect and also help make counter -conditioning possible.
Sound phobia is a serious medical condition that usually gets worse. Nothing else comes close to the effectiveness of medicine. The research on music, pressure clothing and supplements showing weak effects At best. There is no dog box or ear protection that can prevent your dog from hearing low -frequency smell and booms. The best way to help your dog get through the coming holidays in the US and Canada is to contact your veterinarian for help. Call now.
BONUS TIP: There is new evidence in support of ad hoc fashion conditioning
I plan to publish a whole post on this topic, but I haven’t done it yet. I recommend ad hoc fashion conditioning in my second post, and in recent years there has been evidence of its effectiveness.
Ad hoc fashion conditioning is counter -conditioning without desensitization. It is the practice of providing appetizing stimuli (usually food or play) after the occurrence of the trigger. In other words: Release good food when fireworks go off. But also you are welcome to treat for other sudden sounds: dies slam, objects that fall on the floor, some dolls – any impulse sound.
Dr. Stefanie Riemer has published three papers in the last few years about fireworks fears in dogs. Her bio says:
I am a behavioral biologist and am particularly interested in how dogs feel and think. My research interests include emotional expression and social communication in dogs, personality development, noise fear and veterinary fears in dogs as well as the phenomenon of so -called ‘ball junkies’ and possible parallels with behavioral dependence in humans.
Dr. Stefanie Riemer
Her research is fascinating and her papers are very readable and available young online. Here you have to check them out.
Her research also supports the use of anxiety -reducing medication, so we get in full circle for Dr. Honeckman’s words: Now it’s a good time to talk to your veterinarian. And if you can, be ready to drop goodies – good!
Copyright 2019 Eileen AndersonAt Edited 2024
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Photo credit
- Two photos of Zani Copyright Eileen Anderson.
- Firecrackers with permission from Wikimedia Commons from User Tom Harpel under this license. I cropped the picture and edited some background articles.