Fourth of July Tips to Keep Your Pets Safe

By staff at . 

One of the busiest times of the year for our emergency services is the Fourth of July holiday. While many people celebrate Independence Day with fireworks and BBQs, we sometimes forget to consider the pet hazards that can accompany the fun-filled festivities.

We see a varied range of emergencies including serious laceration injuries from pets jumping through glass windows or doors, high-rise fall injuries due to jumping from balconies, trauma from being hit by cars as pets attempt to flee from noises, dietary indiscretions from our pets stealing post-picnic scraps, and cases of severe anxiety due to overwhelming stimulation. 

In addition to the trauma that we see, we also receive many phone calls from distressed owners trying to locate their lost pet after it has run away from home in a panicked state.

Follow these tips to help prevent injury and loss during the Independence Day holiday, and keep your pets safe:

Make sure your pets are secured indoors and as far away from the sounds as possible. The loud noise from fireworks can startle. Keep your pet in a safe room where they are comfortable once the festivities begin.

If your dog is crate trained, put him/her in its crate with a blanket to help offer a feeling of security. You can also help to block the outside sights and sounds by lowering the blinds and turning on the television or radio. And remember, it is a mistake to assume that a fenced pet won’t look for a way to escape the yard during times of extreme stress!

Be sure that your animal can be identified in case they do escape! If you don’t already have a name tag for your dog, instant ones can be made “on demand” at many local pet supply stores. Microchipping your pet is one other way to help missing animals find their way back home.

Sadly, many animals that have been microchipped are not registered in the system and we are unable to reunite families; please ensure that your pets microchip has been properly registered and that your address and phone numbers are current! If you are in question as to whether your pets microchip is active, you can see your veterinarian or stop by PETS Referral Center to have your pet scanned at no cost. We carry both types of microchip scanners and are open 24/7/365.

If you live out of earshot of city fireworks displays, don’t forget that small neighborhood displays can be just as distressing to your pets. If you or your neighbors plan to celebrate, it is still important to keep a sharp eye on your well-secured pet. If you plan to go to a friends home for the festivities, it is safer to keep your dog at home than to bring him/her, even if  the party is dog-friendly. If you have to leave for the day, keep your pets inside of the house rather than outdoors to help remove the temptation for him/her to leap over the fence and follow you.

Pets often try to relieve anxiety by chewing, and it is important to make sure confined pets do not have access to anything that they could destroy without your permission. Indoor crating could be a good option for some dogs, but not for periods longer than four hours, and you still need to keep a watchful eye on your pet while he/she is contained. We have seen injuries as mild as broken toenails from trying to “dig out” from their kennels, to more extreme cases of mouth trauma and fractured teeth. This is not a good option to try if your pet has never been crated before as it will only add to their distress.

You can also distract your four-pawed friend with a toy and praise him or her for non-fearful behavior, like tail-wagging.

Some pets respond well to sedatives, such as Acepromazine. It is always a good idea to plan ahead and anticipate that this will be a time of stress; make an appointment with your veterinarian to have your pet examined and a sedative dispensed, or, if your pet has had a physical exam in the past year by your veterinarian, they will often dispense this medication at your request if your pet is otherwise healthy. There are also herbal over-the-counter remedies such as Feliway and NaturVet Calming Aid, which can have a homeopathic relaxing effect on your pets.

Do not feed your dog scraps from the grill and properly put away those garbage bags filled with the remains of your Fourth of July picnic. The lure of leftover BBQ chicken, corn-on-the-cob and the like is often too great for any pup to resist, and these types of dietary indiscretions can lead to pancreatitis, gastroenteritis, and intestinal foreign bodies requiring surgical removal. Remember that some foods can be toxic to dogs such as chocolate, onions, grapes, and avocados. Alcoholic beverages also have the potential to poison our pets.

Avoid spraying your dog with insect repellant and only use sunscreen that is intended for animal use as human products can be dangerous to your pets. Ingestion of sunscreen products can result in drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst and lethargy. The misuse of insect repellent that contains DEET can lead to neurological problems. Always keep matches and lighter fluid out of your pet's reach; certain types of matches contain chlorates that can damage blood cells and result in difficulty breathing or kidney disease in severe cases. Lighter fluid can be irritating to the skin and if ingested, can produce irritation of the stomach and intestines as well as cause aspiration pneumonia if inhaled or vomited. Citronella candles, insect coils and oil-based insect repellents can also cause stomach irritation and possibly central nervous system depression.

The staff at PETS Referral Center wish you and your four-legged family members a wonderful Fourth of July celebration. We hope that these tips will help ensure a happy holiday weekend for your entire two and four-legged family… one without any trips to the animal ER!

This article was originally published on the PETS Referral Center blog and has been modified for news style, grammar, spelling and punctuation.