For many, the holidays are often filled with togetherness, happiness, and warmth, as friends and family gather at one’s home in celebration of the season of giving.
For pets, however, this time can be distinctly different, with disruptions to familiar routines, new and unfamiliar people in the house, and on days like New Year’s Eve, loud and frightening fireworks. There are numerous ways for pet owners to keep their animals calm and safe during this chaotic time of the year, experts say.
To keep pets calm, an owner must recognize when they are out of sorts. PetMD’s Dr. Wailani Sung lists numerous signs of stress and anxiety in dogs and cats in her article “How to Keep Your Pet Calm During Social Gatherings.”
Sometimes, a pet may need help from a veterinarian to alleviate their anxiety, according to Dr. Megan Beaumont of Brentwood Veterinary Hospital.
“If a family’s concerned that their pet will need medicine, or a supplement, or some training techniques to keep calm, reaching out to a vet is a good idea,” Beaumont said. “They should do it well beforehand as well, so that they can be well-prepared.”
Anxiety symptoms in dogs include excessive licking, panting, and vocalization; pinning back of the ears; feigning of sleep; and refusal of food. Cats may become more vocal, hide, or refuse to use the litter box when they need to relieve themselves, instead doing so in inappropriate locations. If you have a pet with severe anxiety symptoms, such as a history of long-term stress vomiting or colitis (bowel inflammation), Sung recommends reconsidering hosting an event entirely.
“If your pet shows these signs, then having people over at your house may be too much for your pet,” Sung says.
If hosting a holiday event is necessary, or you believe that your pet can weather such a storm, then create a safe space for your animal. This is a separate, enclosed area of the house that serves as a temporary living space and refuge for your pet away from where your visitors are gathering. Within this space, your pet should be able to enjoy a comfortable bed, soothing tunes and white noise, pheromone emitters, and toys to play with, according to the O’Neal Lane Pet Hospital in Baton Rouge, La. Pets should be familiarized with safe spaces in the weeks leading up to an event; encouraging them to take refuge there with treats is a good strategy, according to Sung.
When fitted with blackout curtains, these spaces can also serve your pet well during firework-heavy holidays–the curtains block out the sudden flashes of the fireworks, while the music and white noise help to dampen the deafening sound.
There are also preventive measures you can take to burn off your pet’s stress before an event. Sung and the O’Neal Lane Pet Hospital recommend exercising, playing with, or training your pet in the time leading up to the event. Sung specifically recommends 30 minutes of exercise for dogs, 15-20 minutes of play for cats, and 5-10 minutes of training for either.
For more information, contact these local veterinarians:
Brentwood Family Pet Care
Oakley Veterinary Medical Center
Brentwood Veterinary Hospital
