Remember, Your Dog is Spooked By Fireworks: Pet Safety for the 4th of July

MASSACHUSETTS—Animal hospitals report that they see up to 25 percent of an increase in visits on the 4th of July holiday.

Experts from BluePearl Veterinary Partners join other animal organizations in urging pet owners to take extra precautions for the whole weekend.

“July 4 is a very busy time for emergency and critical care veterinarians,” said Dr. Jennifer Holm, a BluePearl veterinarian and group medical director who is board-certified in emergency and critical care, in an announcement. “Pets get injured, they eat all sorts of things they wouldn’t normally be eating, and many get very stressed out by fireworks.”

Pet owners should certainly plan for the obvious July 4 pet dangers such as loud fireworks, as well as hazards they may never have thought about. These include eating grapes, swimming pools and that poodle next door.

Some pet owners have even turned to medication to help with the panic. Talk to your veterinarian about possibilities.

Here are some of the most common July 4 dangers BluePearl doctors see, and what to do about them:

• Foreign body hazards. It’s not unusual for emergency veterinarians to treat dogs with a corn cob or a rib bone they have swallowed. So be careful of what your dog may find by prowling the ground or open trash cans. Read more about the dangers of bones in particular here.
• Open doors. If you have guests, your front door will open multiple times. And with fireworks blasting outside, your cats and dogs may panic and bolt out the door. Keep a close watch.
• Food that makes pets sick. If you’re hosting a barbeque, be careful about what gets fed to your pets, on purpose or accidentally. Foods that can sicken dogs include: avocados, apple seeds, caffeinated beverages or alcohol, onions, potatoes, grapes, tomatoes, chocolate and sugar-free gum containing xylitol.
• Other dogs. A block party brings together the whole neighborhood, including dogs who might be extra jittery by the general noise and chaos. Agitated dogs may bite. Consider keeping your dog at home.
• Water. Do not assume all pets know how to swim. A crowded pool party is probably not the best time to find out.
• And at the risk of stating the obvious, don’t let your pets anywhere near where people are setting off their own fireworks.

In general, says Dr. Holm, remember that July 4 can be scary and chaotic forpets. Enjoy your time with them, but do what you can to keep pets calm.

“I would say that July 4 is probably not the time you would want to explore a lot of new things with your pets,’ Holm said in a press release. “Use common sense and keep your pets safe.”