Pets, Fireworks, and Anxiety

As the excitement of Canada Day approaches, it is important to keep in mind how the noise of fireworks and celebrations might affect our furry friends. Dogs specifically can hear higher decibels and at four times the distance of humans. One can only imagine how this affects them during thunderstorms!

Signs of Anxiety/Stress Behaviour:

• Pacing
• Hiding
• Excessive panting
• Vocalizing more than usual
• Excessively cuddly/clingy behaviour

Things we can do to help as pet owners:

• Find a safe space for your pet to hide with a favourite toy or blanket.
• Thunder shirts for both cats and dogs. These are compression vests that mimic the comfort of being hugged and apply light pressure to the body. You can find them here.
• Feliway (for cats) or Adaptil (for dogs) diffusers and sprays which release calming hormones.
• There are also anti-anxiety medications that can be prescribed by your veterinarian. Please set up a consultation to go over the best approach for you and your pet.

Written by Centretown Veterinary Hospital