Enjoy bonfire night, but remember, remember your pets.

 

Fireworks and bonfires greatly enhance our festivities at this time of year, but remember that many animals hate fireworks. According to research, nearly half of all dogs exhibit fear of loud noises. Follow the Orchard Vets guide to help to protect your pets this season:

 

Keep pets indoors. Exercise dogs early before the partying begins. Lock the cat flap and keep windows and outside doors shut. If possible bring small animals in hutches indoors, or into a shed or garage, covering them with thick blankets. Never take an animal to a firework event.

Muffle the sounds. Keep pets near the centre of the house and close interior doors. Draw curtains to reduce flashes of light. The television or radio can help to mask external noises.

Let them hide. Many pets prefer a hideaway where they can feel more secure. Suitable places include under the stairs, beneath a table, in a pet crate or inside a cupboard. Make the den comfortable, keep it well covered and get your pet used to it long before fireworks start.

Stay calm. If your pet shows fear, remain calm yourself and avoid reacting to his or her behaviour. Try not to respond to attention-seeking and never scold a pet that acts out of character because of firework fear. Special scents, called pheromones, can be used in the house. These have a valuable calming effect on many dogs and cats.

Plan ahead. If your pet is known to get fearful at this time of year, seek professional advice early when treatments can be much more effective.

 

Orchard Vets have many different ways to help animals at this time of year. In addition to pheromones they have a range of different types of medicine that can calm your pet, some of which have a sedating effect. They can also help you with desensitising programmes to take away or reduce these and other fears.