ROCKY HILL, Conn. (WFSB) – The countdown to the 4th of July has begun, and it’s time to think about pet safety.
You’ll likely experience the sights and sounds of fireworks, and while they’re a form of patriotism to us, they can be downright scary to our four-legged friends.
Jennie Scudder, an associate veterinarian in primary care at Pieper in Middletown, says the best way to keep pets safe is to keep them indoors and inside their crate.
“Most dogs are very concerned. Some dogs don’t care at all, but most of the time they hear it. They’re very sensitive to sound,” Scudder says.
Some pet owners are heeding the advice and plan on keeping pets inside.
Rocky and Winnie will be locked inside the comfort of their home in Rocky Hill during the holiday, says Cassie Slivinski.
“I would just say keeping an eye on them, making sure if they’re starting to get nervous, just being near them.”
But for those without a crate, there are other options, Scudder says.
“I recommend getting them into a smaller room, a small bathroom, dimming the lights, and then just blasting that white noise. Talk to them in low volume. Just let them know you’re there with them”.
Also, it’s good practice to ensure you have information about your pet’s microchip.
It can be the difference between losing your pet or locating them.
“Most of your microchip registration information was given to you in a packet when they received their microchip. But you [can also go online], make sure you get to that site and update your information”, Scudder says.
Dogs love to jump on the table and eat food, which can be challenging during holidays.
“She definitely likes to get up on our kitchen island,” Cassie Silvinski said about one of her rescues.
This weekend, there will be plenty of corn on the cob and kebab skewers, which dogs cannot eat safely.
So, if you want to prevent a costly trip to an emergency room, keep these foods away, Pieper vets say.
“We see a lot of corn on the cob [with] dogs, we see a lot of, you know, intestinal foreign bodies we call them, so things that are in the intestines that shouldn’t be there and just a lot of pancreatitis, so [an] upset [stomach].”
It cannot be easy for animals between the yummy food and scary loud sounds.
But if you follow these steps, it should be a more relaxing weekend with your furry friends.
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