Pets and Fireworks

There are many subtle signs that dogs are becoming anxious. These may vary slightly between individuals and situations but in general will include:-

Yawning
Lip smacking
Increased activity/ restlessness
Muscle tension
Increased heart rate
Panting
Uninterested in food rewards
Increased hesitancy

Cats will also show signs but these tend to be fairly subtle and usually involve removing themselves from the situation and hiding. Prey species such as rabbits are also good at hiding signs of anxiety. They may initially show signs of increased vigilance which can change to decreased activity and hiding as they become more fearful.

Our pets have very different hearing abilities to our own and are sensitive to much higher frequencies than we can detect. They are unable to hear the lower frequencies that we can hear but are able to detect the vibrations caused by low frequency sounds by sensory receptors in the paws. They are also able to hear ultrasonic sounds that we are unaware of, making fireworks displays a completely different experience for them! Most animals find the direction of sound important particularly if it is a sound that signals danger and requires escaping from. Low frequency sound can travel long distances and can pass through solid objects. It also lacks directionality and so is difficult for our pets to detect where it is coming from and therefore where they need to escape to resulting in anxious pacing behaviour or generalised barking.

If it is the low bang of a firework that causes the fear why does my dog react to the high pitched whistle and the sight of the firework? The low pitch bang is the event that produces the fear however it rarely occurs on its own. Other things in the environment may act as predictors that the scary bang is going to happen such as the whistle when the firework is launched. If the whistle is linked with the bang on several occasions then it will be learnt that bang follows whistle so that the whistle will provoke the same reaction as the bang. The same can happen with the flashes of a firework. Some animals will even connect the time it gets dark with phobic events occurring and will start showing anxious behaviour at dusk even before the first fireworks display. This type of learning occurs automatically and cannot be controlled by the person or pet. A fear of fireworks can progress through generalisation to other noises. These usually start with similar low frequency noises such as thunder or the rumble of traffic and can spread to include every day noises like doors shutting and footsteps around the house. What started as a firework phobia can change to a more generalised fear of noises. · Muscle tension · Increased heart rate Panting · Uninterested in food rewards · Increased hesitancy Cats will also show signs but these tend to be fairly subtle and usually involve removing themselves from the situation and hiding. Prey species such as rabbits are also good at hiding signs of anxiety. They may initially show signs of increased vigilance which can change to decreased activity and hiding as they become more fearful. The fear can also become associated with the location so a dog may be fearful of the park or kitchen because they have experienced loud bangs there. It can progress to being resistant to go to any place with similar scenery e.g. trees because there were trees at the park when the loud noise was heard and so these now signal a potentially dangerous location. Alternatively the connection could be made that people with orange jumpers are scary because someone with an orange jumper was standing nearby when a car backfired.

Attempting to escape or hide is a normal behaviour for any fearful animal. The animal will try to get to somewhere where the noise is less and they feel safe. They will therefore hide behind or under objects which absorb sound. They will often choose to sit in a corner as sound intensity is reduced here. This can cause problems if the only corner has a brand new wide screen TV sitting in it. The fearful animal will go to any lengths to get away from the potential danger and even the friendliest family pet may fight if its flight route is blocked. The type of room they are in may increase the need to escape. A flat roofed single storey room can intensify the noise rather like sitting inside a drum. This can be enhanced if the room has reflective surfaces such as a kitchen or utility room. Conservatories also increase noise intensity. The noise phobic pet may avoid these types of room even when there is no evidence that a scary noise will sound. Significant amounts of damage can be created by a fearful pet trying to escape. The damage will be centred around any escape route so doors and windows may be scratched or chewed and cupboards damaged. Furniture may even by moved away from walls in an attempt to find a safe corner where the noise is less. The pet may also harm themselves in the panic to escape. This may range from cuts to the mouth and torn nails to ruptured knee ligaments which may require surgery. It is most common to see this sort of damage in dogs who use their owners as part of their coping mechanism and then are unable to cope during an unexpected fireworks display such as the fourth of July or a neighbours birthday in the middle of February.

It is possible to gradually desensitise pets to firework noise using pre recorded firework sounds. This can only be done when there is no possibility of the pet encountering a phobic event such as a fireworks display otherwise the benefit of the training will be lost. It can be a slow process taking many weeks if not months for the full benefit of the training to be seen. The first step is desensitisation. The pet should be calm and relaxed before beginning. A continuous passage of firework bangs is ideal for this and should be played at absolute zero on the best stereo or hi fi you own. The speakers should be positioned near to the window to make the sounds more realistic although a good training CD should be recorded so the sounds are difficult to localise and will move, particularly if used with a surround sound system. If your pet reacts to the sounds with the volume turned down then they may require medication to help with the training. If there is no reaction then the volume can be gradually increased. A good starting point is when there is a slight ear movement to indicate they are aware of the sound. This can then be played up to a maximum of three to four times a day and volume increased as they get used to the noises. If at any point your pet starts to show signs of anxiety then the session should be stopped in calm relaxed manner and volume reduced on the next training session. So your pet is used to the continuous firework sounds Fantastic! BUT if the training is not repeated regularly this learning will be quickly lost. At this point the sounds have changed from indicating danger to a neutral meaning ie neither good or bad. In order for the information learnt to be retained for longer and to prevent the noise phobia from returning then it is important to create a positive association with the firework noises. This will still need to be repeated every so often but will make it more difficult (but not impossible) for the negative associations to return Positive associations are made using counter conditioning. To do this the CD is used at a lower volume and played for as long as something enjoyable is occurring e.g. dinner time, game or undivided attention depending on what motivates the pet. The process is repeated gradually turning up the volume as before until the firework noises result in anticipation of something nice. It is important to counter condition in as many locations as possible so that fireworks mean nice things in different places not only in the room where initial training was carried out. This may mean taking a stereo into the garden or out on a walk but will help generalise the positive associations formed into different contexts. It is also important to counter condition for individual noises as well as prolonged displays as we often encounter individual pops and bangs in real life. It is beneficial and safer to have a dog that is looking to you for a reward when a car backfires than one trying to run for home.

This can only make an existing phobia worse. There are many CD's available to buy with some being better than others. The price often reflects the quality of recording and care that has gone into choosing the content. Different tracks are ideal with continuous passages of fireworks noise as well as individual pops whistles and bangs. It should also come with a comprehensive guide to using the CD. The Sounds Scary CD from Sound Therapy 4 Pets (www.soundtherapy4pets.com) can be recommended for its excellent sound quality and extensive support material.

There is lots you can do to manage your pet's fear during fireworks season. Some things are common sense others need a little preparation.

· Avoid places where loud bangs are likely e.g. residential areas after dark between October and January

· Do not force an animal to confront their fears as they will not understand, someone is likely to get hurt and it will make the problem much worse.

· Create a refuge ideally several weeks before a firework display is likely. Choose somewhere they like to be and ensure they always have access to this place. A corner is ideal. A collapsible dog crate or coffee table can be used and covered with thick blankets to muffle any sounds. Put an old unwashed jumper in here with your scent on and make this a place where nice things happen so items like food, toys and special treats can be associated with the 'safe den'. Ensure the room where the safe den is has thick curtains to block out any flashes.

· If your pet is comfortable with music play songs that are rhythmic to mask some of the noise. Decide and try the music before hand to ensure it does not increase anxiety.

· If you know a firework display is due on a particular day give a carbohydrate rich meal late afternoon to create that sleepy full post Sunday lunch feeling. Pasta, mashed potato or rice can be added provided your dog does not have any dietary intolerances.

· Lead by example once the noise begins. If you are acting relaxed and doing things that you normally do when happy then your pet will feel there is less to be worried about.

· Don't reassure! Telling your pet there is nothing to be worried about is easily understood by other humans but to a frightened pet it appears that we are worried so there must definitely be something out there to be worried about.

· Ignore anxious behaviour. Telling them they are a 'good boy' or paying them attention will reward the anxious behaviour. Instead act normally and lead them to their safe den. If they stay in the den or relax then offer praise and attention.

· Do not shout or sympathise with them as this will add to their emotional state and is likely to make problems worse. Distract with games if they are not too fearful or play with other pets who are not as scared. If you can encourage your pet to cope with the loud noises independently by hiding rather than escaping or using you as emotional support, then they will be more equipped to cope when the unexpected happens and you are not there. Many pets survive fireworks night without a problem by snuggling up with a head under their owners arm. It only becomes a problem when the unexpected display happens and no one is there.

Drug therapy can be used in the short term to help pets manage their fear over fireworks season or are sometimes required long term to assist behavioural therapy. Drugs may help a problem but without behavioural modification the problem will not reduce and potentially will get worse if the cause is not addressed. Traditionally sedatives have been prescribed to help pets cope with fireworks season. The little yellow tablets are very good at hiding the signs of fear and anxiety that can be distressing to owners as they reduce the animals ability to move through sedation. They can increase sensitivity to noise and will depress respiratory and cardiac function. They are likely to cause a worsening of the phobia year on year as they are aware of the noise but unable to escape from it. Rather like being scared of spiders and tied to a chair in a room full of spiders. They can also cause behavioural disinhibition where the animal is more likely to bite without warning following treatment with acepromazine. Benzodiazepines such as Diazepam are one of the most common drugs used to treat noise phobia in the short term. They reduce anxiety at lower dosages and have some amnesic effects which helps prevent the phobia worsening over time. The animal is still able to move around and show normal anxious behaviour compared with the traditional sedatives used but is the ethically preferred drug. Diazepam can result in hyperexcitement in some dogs and so should be tried before a phobic event. All prescription medications carry contraindications so it is important for a vet to have examined your pet before prescribing any drug so that the most suitable drug for that individual is selected and any risks minimised. Always follow the directions for any medication and do not exceed the stated dose. There are many herbal remedies available such as Skullcap and Valerian or St Johns Wort but there is little scientific evidence of their effect in treating phobias. As the active ingredient is not refined the amounts may vary between batches. There is currently no know safe dose rate for most herbal products and their contraindications are not know. These products should be used with caution. Pheromone treatments are an emerging adjunct to drug and behavioural therapy. Dog Appeasing pheromone (DAP) is produced by the bitch for approximately 6 months after birth. Its function is to provide reassurance, comfort and stabilise emotional states. It has been proven in scientific research to stop fear and stress related signs and has been used successfully with noise phobias and separation related problems. It comes as a plug in diffuser, a spray and a collar and does not have any known side effects. It is ideally introduced 2 weeks before the fireworks season starts. For further information ask your veterinary practice or visit www.dap-pheromone.com

Thanks for reading

Ruth Osborne
www.Ardentpets.co.uk

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