Firework Anxiety in Dogs

“According to Pet Amber Alert, more pets go missing around the Fourth of July than any other time of year, and noisy fireworks are to blame. In fact, the country sees a 30-60% increase in lost pets each year between July 4th and 6th.”

See below for steps you can take to ease your dog’s anxiety attacks when the loud booms of the fireworks start. Talk to your veterinarian before adding in new supplements into your pet’s regimen.

Start with Supplements Early

We want to downregulate their nervous system in advance, so if they panic during fireworks, their reaction is less intense. Pick only one or two of these supplements, talk to your vet about adding them in, and start soon to decrease their anxiety leading up the 4th of July.

Home Adjustments

  • Safe Place - Give your dog a crate, room, or gated off area they feel safe in.

  • Have a sound machine or calming/classical music playing to help mitigate the firework booming. “Through A Dogs Ear” is a playlist curated for calming dogs.

  • Thunderworks shirt feels like a calming hug to some dogs.

  • Adaptil Spray to spray on bedding, blankets, or collars where your dog will be during fireworks.

  • Food Puzzle or other mental enrichment toy for distraction. My dogs will engage with Woof Pupsicles for 30-45 min - great distration!

  • Diffuse Lavender or Frankincense Oil in your home for natural calming effects.

Safety Measures

  • Update their Microchip in case they get lost!

  • Have them leashed at all times when outside so you can keep ahold of them.

  • Secure their harness or collar on their body tightly so they don’t slip out if they panic.

  • Try a leash that can be secure around your waist like Found My Animal so the leash doesn’t slip out of your hands.

Medications From Your Vet

Prescription medications from your vet can be lifesaving! There are a few meds I reach for if the panic and anxiety can cause harm to your dog - Gabapentin, Trazodone, Sileo, or Clonidine. I’ve seen dogs harm themselves while panicking, run away from home, get hit by a car, or hurt in other ways because their anxiety was so pronounced during fireworks. One dog that was in his crate chewed the wire and a pieces ended up piercing his mouth!

He needed surgery to remove some wire along with sutures, and the following years the client used prescription medications to keep him safe during the 4th of July. Our goal is to keep our companions safe as best we can.

Talk to your veterinarian in the weeks before the 4th of July, since dogs may need to try different combinations and doses of prescription medications to keep them calm and safe.

What I Give My Own Dogs

Ollie gets Solliquin starting about 4 weeks prior to the 4th, and the day of he gets 2 doses of ElleVet’s Calm and Comfort - one dose in the morning and one dose just before the sun sets (2 hrs before the fireworks start).

Huey gets Solliquin the weeks leading up to the holiday, and the day of he gets Gabapentin (a prescription med) - once in the morning and again before the sun sets (2 hrs before the fireworks start). Huey will panic, try to run away, and is much more destructive during the fireworks, so this combination has lessened his anxiety greatly and will keep him safe. He will still bark, but I know he is less likely to be harmed with medications on board.

Each dog and circumstance is different, so be sure to see your vet way ahead of time to figure out a safe and effective plan for your dog!

Tori Countner