Blog
Nov
01
Blast off
Published in Untagged by lisa
It's that time of year again.
No, not the nursery sheepdog trials season, but fireworks and thoughtless yobs season.
It's the only time of year when I'm glad Corrie doesn't live with us. She hates loud bangs - fireworks, thunder, gunfire - and thinks the best way to stay calm is to climb onto the nearest person's head.
This can be quite perturbing if you're sat on a cream sofa with a glass of red wine in your hand, or if you're tucked up in bed sound asleep.
For the last couple of weeks fireworks have been blasting overhead every evening, causing the dogs in the surrounding streets to go beserk.
Not only is it extremely annoying for us humans, it's also a real issue for pets. But when there is so little respect for other people, how could we expect any consideration for the welfare of animals?
Don't get me wrong, I love fireworks and bonfire night - I'll be building a bonfire this weekend ready for some family festivities next week. But bonfire night is on November 5th - not the two weeks leading up to it and the weeks after.
I'm presuming that those who are letting off fireworks around us every night are teenagers with the excuse that they've got 'nothing better to do' and not so-called 'responsible adults'.
But it isn't an excuse. Every year hundreds of people are injured in fireworks accidents. Around half of those involve children under the age of 16.
I would hate to see a ban on the public sale of fireworks, but you can understand why there are growing calls for it.
If your dog suffers from fireworks jitters, there is lots of advice on how to deal with the problem.
PDSA Senior Veterinary Surgeon, Sean Wensley, said: "It is worth us imagining what bonfire night must be like for our pets we know why there are lots of bangs outside, but our pets don't, which is very distressing for them."
Owners should be aware of signs of stress. Dogs may tremble, pace, pant and become 'clingy' towards their owners.
Sean added: "If pets do start to show signs of distress, owners should act normally. Trying to reassure pets with extra attention will only reinforce their fears that there is something to be anxious about.
"The owners of pets with severe noise phobias should seek advice from their vet. Noise phobias in pets cannot be fixed quickly, but with time, patience and the right veterinary advice, treatment can be very successful."
The veterinary charity has also come up with a pet-friendly fireworks code:
* Never take your pet to a firework display.
* Keep dogs and cats indoors and close all windows, doors, curtains and cat flaps.
* In the weeks leading up to bonfire night, make a cosy 'den' for your dog and give them healthy treats when they use it. On fireworks night, this will be somewhere they can hide and feel safe. Equally, if your cat has a favourite hiding place, such as on top of a cupboard or underneath furniture, make sure this can be accessed on the night.
* Don't shout at your pet or punish them if they react to the noise, as this will increase their anxiety. The best advice is to ignore the noise and don't try to reassure them. If they detect your anxiety this will increase their fear.
* Play music (something with a repetitive drumbeat) to mask the noises outside.
* Ask your vet about using natural pheromone therapy. Pheromones are comforting animal scents (undetectable to the human nose), but they can help to decrease anxiety in dogs and cats.
* Make sure your pet is in a safe, secure environment, so if they do become scared or try to escape, they won't hurt themselves.
* Get your pet microchipped. Then, even if they do panic and run away, you are much more likely to be reunited.
And there may also be a herbal solution to consider.
Skullcap and Valerian tablets are said to help calm nerves and could be an effective way to reduce the stress caused by fireworks.
Both medicines are licensed by the Government's Veterinary Medicines Licensing Authority and are available online from Medicine4Animals, a brand owned by London medical herbalist Deborah Grant.
Deborah said: "21st century herbal medicine is now being underpinned by scientific research and as such is becoming increasingly popular with more and more dog owners turning to it for their pets as a safer, gentler alternative to pharmaceutical drugs."
Deborah, who practices at the Hale Clinic in London, also claims that cats and dogs are benefiting from this natural treatment as there are no side-effects.
She recommends that Skullcap and Valerian tablets should be taken morning and night with food, with double the amount over bonfire night. A liquid Valerian compound can be taken with or without food, and can even be applied to bedding.
No, not the nursery sheepdog trials season, but fireworks and thoughtless yobs season.
It's the only time of year when I'm glad Corrie doesn't live with us. She hates loud bangs - fireworks, thunder, gunfire - and thinks the best way to stay calm is to climb onto the nearest person's head.
This can be quite perturbing if you're sat on a cream sofa with a glass of red wine in your hand, or if you're tucked up in bed sound asleep.
For the last couple of weeks fireworks have been blasting overhead every evening, causing the dogs in the surrounding streets to go beserk.
Not only is it extremely annoying for us humans, it's also a real issue for pets. But when there is so little respect for other people, how could we expect any consideration for the welfare of animals?
Don't get me wrong, I love fireworks and bonfire night - I'll be building a bonfire this weekend ready for some family festivities next week. But bonfire night is on November 5th - not the two weeks leading up to it and the weeks after.
I'm presuming that those who are letting off fireworks around us every night are teenagers with the excuse that they've got 'nothing better to do' and not so-called 'responsible adults'.
But it isn't an excuse. Every year hundreds of people are injured in fireworks accidents. Around half of those involve children under the age of 16.
I would hate to see a ban on the public sale of fireworks, but you can understand why there are growing calls for it.
If your dog suffers from fireworks jitters, there is lots of advice on how to deal with the problem.
PDSA Senior Veterinary Surgeon, Sean Wensley, said: "It is worth us imagining what bonfire night must be like for our pets we know why there are lots of bangs outside, but our pets don't, which is very distressing for them."
Owners should be aware of signs of stress. Dogs may tremble, pace, pant and become 'clingy' towards their owners.
Sean added: "If pets do start to show signs of distress, owners should act normally. Trying to reassure pets with extra attention will only reinforce their fears that there is something to be anxious about.
"The owners of pets with severe noise phobias should seek advice from their vet. Noise phobias in pets cannot be fixed quickly, but with time, patience and the right veterinary advice, treatment can be very successful."
The veterinary charity has also come up with a pet-friendly fireworks code:
* Never take your pet to a firework display.
* Keep dogs and cats indoors and close all windows, doors, curtains and cat flaps.
* In the weeks leading up to bonfire night, make a cosy 'den' for your dog and give them healthy treats when they use it. On fireworks night, this will be somewhere they can hide and feel safe. Equally, if your cat has a favourite hiding place, such as on top of a cupboard or underneath furniture, make sure this can be accessed on the night.
* Don't shout at your pet or punish them if they react to the noise, as this will increase their anxiety. The best advice is to ignore the noise and don't try to reassure them. If they detect your anxiety this will increase their fear.
* Play music (something with a repetitive drumbeat) to mask the noises outside.
* Ask your vet about using natural pheromone therapy. Pheromones are comforting animal scents (undetectable to the human nose), but they can help to decrease anxiety in dogs and cats.
* Make sure your pet is in a safe, secure environment, so if they do become scared or try to escape, they won't hurt themselves.
* Get your pet microchipped. Then, even if they do panic and run away, you are much more likely to be reunited.
And there may also be a herbal solution to consider.
Skullcap and Valerian tablets are said to help calm nerves and could be an effective way to reduce the stress caused by fireworks.
Both medicines are licensed by the Government's Veterinary Medicines Licensing Authority and are available online from Medicine4Animals, a brand owned by London medical herbalist Deborah Grant.
Deborah said: "21st century herbal medicine is now being underpinned by scientific research and as such is becoming increasingly popular with more and more dog owners turning to it for their pets as a safer, gentler alternative to pharmaceutical drugs."
Deborah, who practices at the Hale Clinic in London, also claims that cats and dogs are benefiting from this natural treatment as there are no side-effects.
She recommends that Skullcap and Valerian tablets should be taken morning and night with food, with double the amount over bonfire night. A liquid Valerian compound can be taken with or without food, and can even be applied to bedding.