All the noise from firecrackers, loud music and hooting and hollering on New Year’s Eve can be very stressful for dogs and cats.
While some humans enjoy the fireworks during New Year’s eve, dogsand cats don’t.
They get terrified and a number of dogs and cats do experience an anxiety attack.
Your pet is having an anxiety attack when he licks his paws and yawn a lot, or tremble, pant, hide, pace, or go into a corner.
The best thing to do is not to light firecrackers on New Year’s eve and any night or day.
But it is impossible to ask your neighbors not to light those firecrackers.
To help your pet, be proactive and prepare.
Jill Feinstein, in “12 Tips to Calm Your Pet This New Year’s Eve” in Happy Tails from House website, shared these tips to minimize your pet’s stress:
“1) Confine your pet to a safe place. If your pet is crate trained, they’ll probably be comfortable there. But if your pet isn’t crate trained, now’s not the time to try it. Instead, put them in a safe room where they can’t get themselves into trouble.
2) Play relaxing classical music or the television at a volume that’s loud enough to drown out the frightening noises, but not too loud to cause more anxiety.
3) Spray lavender oil (Editor’s Note: use only pure essential oil mixed with base oil that is safe for pets like virgin coconut oil) on your pet’s bed or favorite blanket. Or just let them smell it.
4) Try canine or feline pheromones that help your pet feel safe. These come as plug-in room diffusers or sprays. (Editor’s Note: Ask your vet if this will help your dog as he/she knows your dog’s condition.)
5) Talk to your vet about… a prescription medication for dogs that reduces anxiety without sedation. Ask your vet if it’s right for your dog.
6) Take your dog out for as much exercise as possible before the festivities begin. And keep your cat moving with toys and laser pointers before the evening gets going. They’ll be too tired to be stressed.
7) Try desensitizing earlier in the day or a few days before by making loud noises, blowing the noisemakers, and clanking the pots and pans. This may not work for extremely anxious pets.
8) Try a pressure point coat… These jackets put constant gentle pressure on a dog’s pressure points and promote a sense of calm by creating the sensation of being held. (Editor’s Note: Or you can put on a shirt on your pet to make him feel like he is being hugged. Or put a body wrap on your pet. )
9) Distract your pet with food puzzles or some new toys. Spritz a new toy with catnip to keep your cat engaged…
10) Allow your pet to follow you around if that helps them stay calm. If that’s not possible or you’re going out, hire a pet sitter. This is particularly advisable if your pet is extremely anxious.
11) Some say you shouldn’t comfort or coddle a frightened pet. It will reinforce their negative behavior. But some say it’s okay to show calm affection. I’m personally in that camp. If you were scared, wouldn’t someone speaking soothingly calm you down? When your pet is calm, reinforce that behavior with treats. And always stay calm yourself so your pet sees that everything’s okay.
12) Leave the neighborhood for a quieter place if possible.”
Feinstein noted that a pet owner/caregiver may have to do more than two of these tips to help calm one’s pet.
“You may have to try several of them to have any effect on your pet,” Feinstein said.
Do not ever leave your pet alone on New Year’s eve, specially if you know there will be a noisy celebration in your neighborhood.
Never leave your dog tied or caged and ALONE in the garage of outside the house on New Year’s eve. Your dog will definitely have an anxiety attack while the neighbors are lighting those firecrackers.
Some dogs, specially senior ones, had a heart attack.
Other dogs will look for a place to hide during the noisy revelry. But if they are tied or caged, imagine what they will be feeling when they can not “escape” while having an anxiety attack.
“Whatever you do, don’t scold them! Your pet needed an outlet to express their anxiety. Or they may have been trying to escape from it,” Feinstein stressed.
“What if your typically calm pet unexpectedly becomes anxious on New Year’s Eve? This can happen as pets age. Especially if they suffer from health problems or the dementia…” said Feinstein.
Feinstein said it is important to be aware and plan how one can help an anxious pet.
“Look out for the signs your pet is melting down and confine them to a safe place. Play calming music. Give them a stuffed Kong toy. And sit with them for a while,” Feinstein said.
“In some pets, the anxiety is so severe they hurt themselves. They may bloody their paws trying to escape out a closed door or possibly even jump from a window. And never tie up your anxious dog outside. They can injure themselves trying to escape the tether and runaway, “ Feinstein stressed.
Put a collar on your dog with identifying tags (with information on how to contact the owner) in case the dog panics and gets loose.
“It’s unfair to let a pet suffer. Talk to your vet if you know you have an anxious pet,” Feinstein said.
Please consider your pets when planning the New Year’s eve celebration. This can be filled with fun for both humans and pets.
Here’s to an amazing 2020 filled with love, kindness and blessings for both humans and pets! DC