We felt it important to share a reminder on how to care for your pets during the Fourth of July fireworks.
I have to look for lost pets THE MOST during the month of July. This is because fireworks scare pets so much that they escape from their homes and their backyards, running fearfully through the neighborhoods. Fireworks are loud, unpredictable, seem to be a threat to most pets, and cause them to feel trapped because they can’t get away from the lights and noise.
Some pets are not bothered by fireworks. My dogs Lucie and Gracie had no problem with loud fireworks. Meanwhile, several of my cats run for my closet if they hear a car door slam. Honestly, most of the pets I have helped search for because of fireworks are dogs. Cats tend to hide WITHIN the house. That still means that if a cat is outside when fireworks go off, they are going to run and not pay attention to where they are going.
The best thing you can do for your pet is to keep them inside during any night you know fireworks are going to be going off. Usually, different places have fireworks on different nights, so make sure that ALL the night’s fireworks are going off your pets are safely in the house.
Sometimes, being in the house is not enough. I looked for a blind border collie in Minnesota that ran through two screen doors she was so stressed when she heard the fireworks go off. So, make sure that there isn’t a way your dog can break out. Even better, if your dog has a crate, let them stay in the crate so that they feel safe. You can also try a thunder-shirt to hold them and make them feel safe. Put on aromatherapy, play music your pet loves so that you mute the sound of the fireworks, and make a night of it.
The following is an article on pets feeling anxious that I am resharing. You can use several of these options to help your pet have the best fourth of July ever.
Anxiety in Pets
As an empathic (empathic means I feel others’ emotions) animal communicator, I always know when pets feel anxious. Having done this for over twenty years, I have come to the belief that our pets are more sensitive to a human’s emotions than the human is most of the time. If there is an argument going on between family members in the house, humans get quiet while a pet may have an accident on the carpet or chew up your favorite shoes. This is particularly true when a pet is a rescue, and they have bad memories of being around strong emotions or being abused.
What took me more time to understand is that often high anxiety can show up in pets as medical maladies. In the last month, I have talked to 14 cats that have had Urinary Tract Infections, all caused because the pet was upset, or the owner was upset. Some owners had Urinary Tract Infections themselves. With everything going on today, from the protests for equality to the news and all its associated fears, you do not even need to be experiencing anxiety yourself. Many pets are empathic, and they feel the free roaming anxiety coursing through America. Top that with the firework anxiety that many pets have, and it is a wonder that they aren’t hiding in a closet (I say this because I actually talked to a client’s cat who WAS hiding in the closet).
So how do we help our pets be happy during this stressful time? I have options that I want to share with you so that you can keep your pet calm and comfortable.
Most of the time I talk to clients, if their pets are anxious, I clear the pet’s energy while I am on the phone with them.
Ground your pets’ energy. It is important that they ground out negative thoughts and get them out of their head. If you have a way to do this for yourself, you can just insert your pet’s name instead of yours.
Clear the energy of your house and then set the intent so that nothing that will harm you or them may enter. I have even walked my property with the salt boundary to protect my animals from stray energy and feelings.
You can use Sage to clear the energy in your space, or you can use an essential oil spray. I usually put a few drops in a sprayer with Crystal Clear, but Cosmic Cleanse comes ready to spray. Don’t saturate the pet with these, just spray a light mist in the room or above your pet. I like to use these if I don’t have time to do a full cleansing on the house but want to get some funky energy out of the air.
Sprays:
You can also smudge sage over your pet, with varying success depending on how they respond to it. Some like it.
Above is what I always try first with an anxious or ill pet.
Here are other things that can be helpful and depending on the pet and situation, make everything calmer.
Ingestible Products and CBD oil:
I recommend Chill Paws because I use it on my own pets and have recommended it to clients for 2 years now. I know it is a great product at a great price that works incredibly well for most anxiety issues, depression and pain relief. At lower levels it works for anxiety, higher levels for depression and pain. Depression is something to watch our pets for now too. Again, they pick up on our energies.
There are over 500 CBD products for pets. I use Chill Paws because I have experience with it. I have tried over 40 different products. What I have found is that ALL THE TREATS I tested got hard. Then your pet won’t eat it, even if they would if it was fresh. If this is something you are going to use on occasion, unless you are treating chronic conditions, when it must sit for a while & then you use it again, it’s hard as a rock. The only exception I have found is this freeze-dried chicken liver CBD. All 4 of my cats & my dog ate these, which is saying something, and since it is freeze-dried, it doesn’t get hard
With a tincture, you can add it to your pet’s water, a treat that they love their food or place it in their mouth (Which is what I do because then I know they got the whole dose.)
I also use Tomlyn’s Relax & Calm. They are amazing chews that are shaped so you can break them in quarters. They contain L-tryptophan, an amino acid that is safe for your pets. They are another of the few treat choices both my cats and my dog will eat.
Comfort Items:
Just like a child may have a blankie, pets have comfort items too. Many times, it is a favorite toy, something that can relax them, or a blanket or a stuffed pillow. Samson had a blankie that we traveled with for the first year of his life. No matter where we were, if Samson has had blankie, we were good. I will never forget our first trip to Global Pet Expo. We had been up all night flying, and then when I went to check in our reservation was lost and the hotel was full. I went back to the rental car to call the people who set the reservation up. I was tired, hot, dirty and kind of scared that we didn’t have a hotel room. I was on the verge of tears. I looked in the rearview mirror to see Samson, kneading his blankie and purring at the top of his lung capacity. If Sam had his blanket, he would start his purring mantra and everything was copasetic.
Many pets ask for a stuffed toy or a friend with a heartbeat. There is Snuggle Puppy- a stuffed dog with a heartbeat. Or you could just get a stuffed heart with a heartbeat made to keep your cat and dog feeling calm and loved. Many of the pets I talk to say this calms them, and several that had a heartbeat pillow shared with me that it helps them sleep better.
Comfort Music or TV:
It was proven years ago that certain music calms cats and dogs down. Lisa Spector did some of the first research on it, and I met her years ago at BlogPaws. She now has 14 plus albums for dogs and music for cats too. If you don’t want to get something from Lisa, go online and download one of the many dozens of other choices for pet music.
· There is also DogTV. I have not had any experience with that, but I know they have research that supports it. I know many of my clients leave the TV on during the day so that their pets don’t feel as alone if they are away.
So, if you have tried all these things and your dog/cat is STILL freaking out? Then I am not above recommending going to a Vet to get an anxiety medication like Paroxetine (which I know the most about) or doggie Prozac. Also, you can go to an integrative Vet and get Chinese Prescriptions. I have been very impressed with the results when I have used Chinese medications for my pets. It is another option available to you.
Your pet may currently not be anxious, but there is always the next thunderstorm, an out of the blue fight, or an emergency forest fire. Try many of these ways to make your pet feel more comfortable and more at home. Then when you do have an issue, they will take it in stride.
While we do everything we can to keep our pets safe and calm, life can still bring unexpected loss. If you or someone you care about is grieving the passing of a beloved companion, we’re here to help honor that bond. At PetPerennials.com, you’ll find thoughtful, healing gifts and resources that bring comfort during one of life’s hardest moments - because pets are family, always.
Ann Hoff is a well-known Animal Communicator, Intuitive Medium, and a regular contributor to our FB Group “I Am not Crazy Because I Talk to Animals” and leads a monthly Zoom call with members wishing to chat with a pet, or simply ask Ann a question. This month's content addresses the earthly lessons we learn through loss.
