Fireworks, Fireworks, Fireworks!

It's that time of year again! The sky will soon be lighting up with colors, bursts, and really loud booms. What might be fun for some, is a nightmare for others. For those of us with dogs and cats, the firework season can be especially frustrating. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to keep your dogs and cats comfortable and calm this year. 

Keep your pets indoors. 
Loud noises can spark a flight response in our animals and they're likely to run off scared. Keeping them indoors can prevent lost and potentially injured animals. Microchipping your pets is a good safety backup for the pets that do happen to get out and run off. For more information on microchipping, give us a call. 

Drown out the noise. 
Turning on some soft music or keeping the TV on might help keep your pet distracted when the fireworks start going off. If possible, move them into a room with no windows. Your cats might hide in a dark space. Your dogs will probably want you nearby. 

Address the anxiety. 
Your pet may benefit from an anxiety vest or from a snug fitting t-shirt. Other pets might need medication to help the anxiety. If your pet needs anxiety medications for loud noises, please don't want to call and get them filled. Every June and July, we receive an influx of calls for anxiety medication. We do our best to fill them all quickly so they're available for pickup before the fireworks start, but with a high volume it takes us a little longer to get medications filled and we occasionally run into supply issues. The best way to ensure that your pet has the medications they need in time, call right away so we can start working on filling those medications! 

If you have any questions or would like to request a prescription for anxiety medications, please call us at 208-522-8010.

All of us here at Countryside Veterinary Hospital wish everyone a safe and happy 4th of July!