Each year as the summer months offer time to enjoy the outdoors and vacation possibilities, some dogs and pet parents experience difficult days trying to cope with some of the down sides of summer such as fireworks and summer storms. It’s also a time when more animals travel with their families, and car rides can be a source of stress as well.
Dr. Angelica Dimock, a Minnesota shelter and emergency medicine veterinarian has a wide range of experience on the topic, is leading a campaign to give tips and tricks to dog and cat parents whose animals are inflicted with summer stresses and anxiety.
The following tips can help to keep your pet calm over the next few months:
• Pet parents should desensitize your animal to the noise ahead of the event. Playing sounds of fireworks or thunderstorms to get them accustomed to what it sounds like can help acclimate them to the actual events. It’s best to gradually increase the volume over time and is ideal to start months before.
• There’s nothing better than creating a special room the day of the event where the animal can hide. The most soundproof room in the house or apartment is ideal. Putting toys and other familiar things in the room can help. There are also special indoor dog tents or special beds that have burrowing properties. Animals love to crawl in small spaces when they are scared.
• Calming aids like a special shirt that hugs the pet or even natural supplements like CBD is helpful. But note that sometimes these products work and sometimes they don’t. Every pet is different.
• If anxiety issues are severe, reach out to a veterinarian to see if pharmaceuticals may be needed to further alleviate a pet’s stress.
When it comes to travel, there are many tips as well:
• Pets should practice riding in a car. Often times the only times a dog or cat is in a car is when they go to the vet. Trips around the block can show them car rides aren’t bad.
• Car motion can cause sickness in some pets, as they can be placed in a variety of directions. There are specialized car seats that place them at window level, and has them facing the right direction. All pets should be securely attached to a seat belt, and there are special safety attachments available online to keep cats and dogs safe when riding in a car.
• Allow time for plenty of bathroom breaks and stops at the beginning of the trip, especially if they love to sniff new places. Don’t forget the treats.
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