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(The Dodo)   The scariest day of the year is coming this weekend. Do you have any special tips to share for keeping your pets safe and calm when the sky goes boom?   (thedodo.com) divider line
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    More: PSA, Anxiety, Dog, Hearing, Idea, Thought, Veterinarian, Dr. Ann Hohenhaus, Sound  
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302 clicks; posted to D'awww » and Discussion » on 30 Jun 2022 at 8:55 PM (6 weeks ago)   |   Favorite    |   share:  Share on Twitter share via Email Share on Facebook



45 Comments     (+0 »)
View Voting Results: Smartest and Funniest
 
jasonvatch [TotalFark] [OhFark]
2022-06-30 7:20:56 PM  
Cuddle pet. When you see a flash, say "Boom!" Like it's a game. Unless you're right next to the show, the lag between speed-of-light and speed-of-sound will make this work. Pretty soon the pet will figure it out.

/Also works for small children.
 
Irving Maimway [TotalFark] [OhFark]
2022-06-30 7:21:43 PM  
Everyone will be drugged.
 
Wanebo [TotalFark] [OhFark]
2022-06-30 7:30:28 PM  
The puggle is deaf now.

Problem solved.
 
aimtastic [TotalFark]
2022-06-30 7:35:03 PM  
Our Rusty gets mad at fireworks - just barks angrily the whole night.

We just try to watch something noisy and keep it loud to drown out as much as we can.
 
Unobtanium [TotalFark] [OhFark]
2022-06-30 8:04:10 PM  
We are currently without doggos. The most recently departed one hated loud noises, whether fireworks or thunder. The thundershirt helped some, but mostly it was just cuddles.

He also *really* hated the "chirp" the smoke detectors made for low battery (which is weird that they occasionally do that because we change the batteries at each equinox).

Here he is when he climbed up behind me in a chair for something loud a few years back.

Fark user imageView Full Size
 
fragMasterFlash [recently expired TotalFark] [OhFark]
2022-06-30 8:04:36 PM  
Soothing treats with tryptophan work well for the barky lil dude at my house. They are only used a few times a year as not to cause him to build up a tolerance to that stuff.
 
rainbowbutter
2022-06-30 8:11:58 PM  
the prices of necessities will never rise to a level that precludes dipshiats buying stuff to blow up. a Roman candle bounced off our house last year, at face level. Thin Blue Line flag across the way was playing bottle rocket wars with his buddies because of course he was. lockdown was worse. a neighbor a few doors down took up the baton from the city and did BIG fireworks- the kind you go down to the river to see, with thousands of other people. the noise was stultifying. i couldn't get my mind around it. cops never came, and i didn't call- what can you do? it's one day a year (if only that were true)
this year the cats will hide in the basement, and i'll sit with them. it's cooler down there anyway.
i can't believe how many onions are on my belt over this. but it's hard to watch them get scared, you know. i can't really see getting these beasts into cat-sized thunder vests
/end rant/
 
educated [TotalFark]
2022-06-30 8:38:58 PM  
We have his bravery shirt and a happy hoodie and DRUUUUUGS and a stone basement.

And he's still a mess :(

We've found that the typical "ignore him as if nothing's happening" does not really work. Nor does a loud movie or music. He can still feel it (the township's display is set off about a mile from our house). We keep physical contact with him because he prefers it - just a hand on his shoulder works - and we take him into the basement and let him know that he can stay there, that he does not need to protect us. He does ok with that lately.

Poor guy.
Fark user imageView Full Size
 
Jake Havechek [TotalFark]
2022-06-30 8:43:44 PM  
My old cat Marilyn ('00-'17) hated fireworks, but I don't live in the city anymore and the odd firecracker or bottle rocket doesn't upset Miss Mallory at all.  She only hates thunderstorms.
Fark user imageView Full Size
 
BizarreMan [TotalFark]
2022-06-30 8:49:00 PM  

Irving Maimway: Everyone will be drugged.


But what about the pets?
 
Billy Bathsalt
2022-06-30 9:18:55 PM  
I was just walking home and a big explosion happened behind the building I was walking past.  Then I saw the starburst right above it.  Scared the farks out of me and a dog that some people were walking in front of me.  I thought it was the big one.
 
natazha [BareFark]
2022-06-30 9:23:28 PM  
I guess we are lucky, 5 mg of Acepromazine does the trick with Sheela.  Honey and Harvey are fine with the noises.  We had another dog, Deedee, who would jump up onto our bed at the first Boom!, then jump down, run around, jump up, repeat, repeat.  No worse for me, as I have chronic insomnia; but having a 45 lb dog, that's in a panic, jumping on the bed and shaking can even wake my wife up.  Drugs did not help with Deedee.
 
Oliver Twisted
2022-06-30 9:31:29 PM  
Have other sounds like fans going to help blend.  We put the life jacket on which works like the thunder vests.  Kind of like kids that fall, don't over react like there is something wrong.  Play like normal if possible but they may look at you like you are insane.
 
Telephone Sanitizer Second Class
2022-06-30 9:34:12 PM  
I plan on my usual 4th of July tradition of opening a bottle of wine, putting on some noise cancelling headphones and playing some tunes, and spending the evening sitting in the walk-in closet with my cat.
 
brantgoose [TotalFark] [OhFark]
2022-06-30 9:35:28 PM  
Tax Day already?

I'm just kidding. I did my taxes a month ago.
 
drewogatory
2022-06-30 9:38:23 PM  
We live in SoCal. The cats barely flinch unless a starburst is right over the yard. They run inside when the first one goes off (due in an hour or so), but they will wander back outside after that if it isn't full on. It's going to be full on this year, we've gotten 20-30 full size mortars a night for the last couple weeks.
 
question_dj [TotalFark]
2022-06-30 9:51:29 PM  
Trazadone. Your vet should prescribe it just by you asking for it for fireworks.
 
Otera [TotalFark]
2022-06-30 10:05:20 PM  
Fark user imageView Full Size


This ridiculous creature's fussiness can be solved by taking her outside. Once she can see the fireworks, she calms down.

She grew up a block from the site the town used for the fireworks. She learned pretty quick that the loud noises meant lots of people gathered together on the field behind the apartment complex.
So when she barks during the fireworks, it's her yelling at me to hurry up, I'm missing the show and she's missing the people
 
educated [TotalFark]
2022-06-30 10:22:21 PM  

question_dj: Trazadone. Your vet should prescribe it just by you asking for it for fireworks.


Traz is tricky for our boy, if we give him too much (a normal dose), he freaks out and works himself into a tizzy fighting it.

We need to give it to him half a tablet every 2 hours. Sneak the calm into him.
 
question_dj [TotalFark]
2022-06-30 10:35:20 PM  

educated: question_dj: Trazadone. Your vet should prescribe it just by you asking for it for fireworks.

Traz is tricky for our boy, if we give him too much (a normal dose), he freaks out and works himself into a tizzy fighting it.

We need to give it to him half a tablet every 2 hours. Sneak the calm into him.


Absolutely possible that he doesn't metabolize it well at all. Diazepam could be an option. But I don't think vets are as willing to prescribe valium. Sorry to hear your pup doesn't respond well to it it's tough being a dog.
 
enry [TotalFark]
2022-06-30 10:44:22 PM  
Thundershirts are awesome.  We had a storm blow through last night and she started to panic until we got it on her and all was well.
 
educated [TotalFark]
2022-06-30 10:49:29 PM  

question_dj: educated: question_dj: Trazadone. Your vet should prescribe it just by you asking for it for fireworks.

Traz is tricky for our boy, if we give him too much (a normal dose), he freaks out and works himself into a tizzy fighting it.

We need to give it to him half a tablet every 2 hours. Sneak the calm into him.

Absolutely possible that he doesn't metabolize it well at all. Diazepam could be an option. But I don't think vets are as willing to prescribe valium. Sorry to hear your pup doesn't respond well to it it's tough being a dog.


Yeah it sucks.
I wish we could just explain it to them.
 
drewogatory
2022-06-30 11:41:27 PM  

educated: question_dj: educated: question_dj: Trazadone. Your vet should prescribe it just by you asking for it for fireworks.

Traz is tricky for our boy, if we give him too much (a normal dose), he freaks out and works himself into a tizzy fighting it.

We need to give it to him half a tablet every 2 hours. Sneak the calm into him.

Absolutely possible that he doesn't metabolize it well at all. Diazepam could be an option. But I don't think vets are as willing to prescribe valium. Sorry to hear your pup doesn't respond well to it it's tough being a dog.

Yeah it sucks.
I wish we could just explain it to them.


Benadryl maybe?
 
neongoats [TotalFark]
2022-07-01 12:00:49 AM  
My dog is 18 and has gone about 85% deaf this past year so I think he'll be fine this time. He's also got cataracts and few enough teeth that I've had to switch him to soft food. So he gets spoiled with Caesar now. Can't gum down a steak lol.
 
Mugato [TotalFark]
2022-07-01 12:09:30 AM  
Why do mouth breathers lose their shiat over fireworks? You seen one show, you've seen them all.
 
cryinoutloud [BareFark]
2022-07-01 12:33:54 AM  
My dog?  My dog that is currently hiding in the bathtub?  I don't do anything. She's fine.

/fark this town and their fireworks.
//I'm getting out of town.
 
kittyhas1000legs [TotalFark]
2022-07-01 12:46:28 AM  

educated: question_dj: Trazadone. Your vet should prescribe it just by you asking for it for fireworks.

Traz is tricky for our boy, if we give him too much (a normal dose), he freaks out and works himself into a tizzy fighting it.

We need to give it to him half a tablet every 2 hours. Sneak the calm into him.


This is the first year I've really seen trazodone prescribed for dogs rather than valium. This is Montana, so the vets around here write for like a week's worth because people love their booms.

My cats DGAF about fireworks, but a sudden sneeze or a plastic grocery bag is terrifying.
 
optikeye [TotalFark]
2022-07-01 2:34:51 AM  

kittyhas1000legs: This is Montana, so the vets around here write for like a week's worth because people love their booms.


I wonder how many get to pet.
 
nyan9mm
2022-07-01 3:12:09 AM  

Mugato: Why do mouth breathers lose their shiat over fireworks? You seen one show, you've seen them all.


Fireworks are the MCU/Capesh*t of real world events.

Fark user imageView Full Size
 
starlost
2022-07-01 5:42:25 AM  
Thunderstorms expected july 3-5. Earlier in the week they were predicting 7-8 straight days of rain.
 
Wenchmaster
2022-07-01 5:59:59 AM  
We'll be keeping the Distinguished Mr. Franklin indoors all weekend. He's semi-feral, so he'll hate that, but fireworks seem to scare him more than they used to. He's at least 13, so perhaps he's just getting jumpy in his old age.

We keep the windows shut and the blinds drawn, and leave the radio tuned to the local classical music station to help mute the sounds from outside. If he ends up running into one of the closets to hide, we'll put snacks, gooshy food, and a water bowl as close as possible to his hiding place.

Most of the massive herd of semi-ferals the Idiot Next Door is hosting have been through at least one 4th, so they'll probably be okay (they have basically taken over the Idiot Next Door's garage). A few of the latest litters of kittens might panic.

The public displays are bad enough, but those are usually 5-8 miles away. My neighborhood has fairly large collection of dim-as-five-feet-up-a-pig's-ass wombats who like to try competing with the official displays, so the 4th often sounds like a reenactment of the Siege of Azovstal for ten blocks or so around my house. I'm hoping the forecast rain this weekend discourages a lot of the wombats from launching their illegal fireworks.
 
The Weekend Baker
2022-07-01 6:00:35 AM  
We just moved from a semi-rural area, where a lot of people set off their own fireworks, to a very rural area.  I guess we're going to find out soon what happens, and if our pooch will have the same problem.

So far, so good though.  At our old house, the fireworks would have already started.  The week leading up to 7/4 always had fireworks going off in the evening, but here?  Nothing yet.
 
Nick Nostril
2022-07-01 7:13:16 AM  
My cat doesn't seem to be bothered by thunder or fireworks. Weird, that.
 
Spawn_of_Cthulhu
2022-07-01 7:22:19 AM  
Our town's fireworks were, mysteriously, last weekend.  We have 2 newish (since Feb) 5 year old rescue cats, siblings.  The female was no where to be found once the booming started.  Her brother was terrified.  We lured him into our bed to calm him.  He could see the fireworks through the window (we are about a mile away).  After a few minutes he forgot the booms and sat right at the window to watch.
 
Gramma
2022-07-01 7:31:59 AM  
My good boys don't care about fireworks much. But they are outraged about the people being outside after dark.

We live a block from a lake where there is a big fireworks show. After the show, quite a few people, mostly drunk, wander down the street on their way back home.

The boys don't like it. They don't like it at all.
 
Madison_Smiled [TotalFark] [OhFark]
2022-07-01 7:36:18 AM  
CBD oil works for my cousin's dog. It also helps to not leave him alone. If he panics while home alone, he'll destroy everything.

My cat just hides out in the closet.
 
Shirley Ujest
2022-07-01 7:38:49 AM  
My Sadie is indifferent to storms. But I have CBD on hand for everything else that sets her off.
 
Gordon Bennett [OhFark]
2022-07-01 7:59:57 AM  

Nick Nostril: My cat doesn't seem to be bothered by thunder or fireworks. Weird, that.


My cat looks at me. When she sees that I'm calm, she stays calm.
 
question_dj [TotalFark]
2022-07-01 9:13:53 AM  

kittyhas1000legs: educated: question_dj: Trazadone. Your vet should prescribe it just by you asking for it for fireworks.

Traz is tricky for our boy, if we give him too much (a normal dose), he freaks out and works himself into a tizzy fighting it.

We need to give it to him half a tablet every 2 hours. Sneak the calm into him.

This is the first year I've really seen trazodone prescribed for dogs rather than valium. This is Montana, so the vets around here write for like a week's worth because people love their booms.

My cats DGAF about fireworks, but a sudden sneeze or a plastic grocery bag is terrifying.


I would suspect there's more concern from vets in more populated areas, about valium being a controlled substance. Trazadone has lower abuse potential by people, so it's "safer" to write the script.
 
PTP_Professor
2022-07-01 10:38:56 AM  
Acepromazine for all! Our dog is so scared of gunfire, thunderstorms, and fireworks that we keep it on hand at all times. We live in Georgia, where rednecks with guns are a daily occurrence, probably hear 20-50 gunshots a  day. Fireworks are also legal year round. Noise ordinance is 10pm on weekdays, midnight on weekends and holidays. About 3-4 nights a week, there is a guy who just randomly launches stuff at 1130. Dog pees in the house at least once a month. When we know it is going to thunder or there are going to be fireworks, we can drug her up and she is fine.
 
toddism
2022-07-01 11:46:47 AM  
This is Frodo.  He came from the pound 4 years ago.  He is TERRIFIED of storms and fireworks.  We will be spending time in the basement (like we always do on firework days).

lh3.googleusercontent.comView Full Size
 
BizarreMan [TotalFark]
2022-07-01 2:08:25 PM  
My wife went to the vet this morning to pick up some pills for the cats.  She didn't take them, just a note that named the cats and exactly what she needed.  She goes in, shows the note to the receptionist, and then sits for 20 minutes, waiting for anything to happen.  She goes up  and talks to them again, shows the note.  That's the time she gets called to go back with Loki...the cat that she didn't bring in.  She explains once again that she doesn't have the cats, just needs these pills, listed on this piece of paper right here.

Another 30 minutes they finally brought out the pills.
 
wage0048
2022-07-01 3:44:03 PM  
I don't have pets, but my state just legalized THC-infused edibles, so I'm planning on going to get a few different flavors of gummies and watch the sky explode..

Normally I hate fireworks.
 
purplegiraffe
2022-07-01 6:43:11 PM  

rainbowbutter: the prices of necessities will never rise to a level that precludes dipshiats buying stuff to blow up. a Roman candle bounced off our house last year, at face level. Thin Blue Line flag across the way was playing bottle rocket wars with his buddies because of course he was. lockdown was worse. a neighbor a few doors down took up the baton from the city and did BIG fireworks- the kind you go down to the river to see, with thousands of other people. the noise was stultifying. i couldn't get my mind around it. cops never came, and i didn't call- what can you do? it's one day a year (if only that were true)
this year the cats will hide in the basement, and i'll sit with them. it's cooler down there anyway.
i can't believe how many onions are on my belt over this. but it's hard to watch them get scared, you know. i can't really see getting these beasts into cat-sized thunder vests
/end rant/


You, I like.
 
anuran
2022-07-02 1:26:21 AM  
Living in Portland where private 4J fireworks are illegal helps a bit
 
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