Woo hoo, the 4th of July is right around the corner! For lots of us, the holiday means a day full of outdoor fun with the family, and we're willing to bet that lots of pets are included in the festivities. After all, they're part of the family, too, right? We all know the basics for keeping ourselves safe over the holiday, but we need to think about our pets' safety, too - here are some things to think about if Fido and Fluffy are joining in the fun next week.
1. It's hot out there. You may have noticed. If next week is anything like this week, the 4th of July is going to be a scorcher; you can bet it'll be over 90 degrees (although that'll feel downright brisk compared to the 100's we're looking at for the next few days). Heat can be a dangerous thing for any pet, but the extra-fluffy, squashy-faced, and older ones are all at additional risk. Just use some basic common sense heat-safety tactics: make sure there's shade (or better yet, somewhere indoors to go and cool off if your pet seems to be getting overheated) and plenty of fresh, cool water to drink. Know your pet's limits and don't push it. Whatever you do, do not leave your pet in your car; on a 90 degree day, temperatures in your car climb to 110 degrees in just 10 minutes. And, know the signs of heatstroke: heavy, excessive panting; tongue and gums bright red or dark purple; vomiting and thick, mucusy saliva; loss of coordination or collapse. Heat stroke is serious, and your normal vet probably will not be open on the 4th. Do your homework ahead of time - just in case - and have contact info on hand for a nearby emergency vet clinic. If your pet is exhibiting any of the symptoms of heat stroke, seek help immediately; move him indoors, and run cool (but not cold - cold can send him into shock) water over him to gradually lower his body temperature until you can get him to the vet.
2. People food abounds. What holiday would be complete without way too much food? The 4th is full of burgers, hotdogs, and beer - all things your pet should not be eating. Consider this: a 20lb dog eating a hotdog is the equivalent of a smallish person eating 3 hamburgers. If there's a little cheese on there, you're talking about the equivalent of another 2 1/2 hamburgers. In that one "treat," your dog is consuming a couple of days worth of calories. Not healthy...and if you've ever had a dog get into something fatty and delicious and had to clean up after it, er,
afterwards, you know it's not a pretty sight. Plus, there are hidden hazards in giving your pet people food. Like onions on your burger? They're toxic to pets. Think it's cute when your dog drinks a little beer? Also toxic. Set strict rules, and make sure any and all of your guests know it, too: No people food for the pets, and definitely no beer. Trust us, it'll save you a mess, a vet bill, and it could save your pet's life.
3. Sunscreens and bug repellants aren't all pet-safe. It's important to make sure your pet doesn't get crispy and chewed, but don't just put whatever you put on yourself on your pets. First of all, DEET is very dangerous for pets; we're talking neurological effects. And sunscreens are likely to get licked off and eaten, resulting in drooling, vomiting, diarrhea...all things you don't really want happening at your 4th of July party (or ever). Think ahead: make sure the monthly flea and tick prevention you use on your pets also repels mosquitoes. If it doesn't, ask your vet to recommend something that does. Or, use natural alternatives like citronella candles - just make sure they're up out of reach where they can't be eaten. The best way to keep your dog from getting sunburned is also part of the solution to the heat problem: make sure there's plenty of shade around, and put it to good use.
4. To quote the ever-popular Frankenstein's monster: "Fire, BAAAAD!" This should go without saying, but fire, explosives, and pets do not and should not mix. Keep matches, sparklers, grills and all other open fire sources away from your pets, and never leave an open flame unattended. It's never safe to assume that your pet is smart and knows better than to stick his face in something that's on fire, because let's face it, he's probably not and probably doesn't. Either way, you don't want to find out the hard way, so err on the side of caution. As far as fireworks go, it's best that your pet is safely indoors before you start setting anything off. Even small explosions are noisy, confusing, and scary to pets, and they may panic and wind up in the line of fire. At the very least, have your pet leashed before anyone starts lighting any fuses, and be prepared to head inside the moment he seems fearful. Also, keep in mind that it is very dry out there right now and the outdoors is more flammable than usual; you definitely don't want to be the person whose pet panics and starts the wildfire that burns down the neighborhood.
5. The 5th of July is one of the busiest days of the year for humane societies and animal control agencies. Why? Because the 4th of July can be horrifying for pets. Pets who are afraid of thunderstorms and other loud noises are especially vulnerable on the 4th; the sound of large-scale fireworks displays being set off is enough to send many pets into full-on panic mode. Thousands of pets escape and become lost on the 4th of July every year in a desperate attempt to escape the noise, putting them at risk for injury or death; on the 5th, rescue organizations are inundated with calls about lost pets, calls about found pets, and reports of wandering animals in need of pick-up. Don't put your pet in that position: keep him indoors during fireworks displays! It is much harder to escape from a home than it is to escape from a yard. If you have a
Thundershirt, use it. It may also help to turn on the TV or radio to further muffle the noise of the fireworks. And take precautions, just in case: make sure that your pet is wearing a sturdy, reflective collar with current ID tags. If he's microchipped, double-check your contact info with the microchip company ahead of time and make sure it's up-to-date; if he's not microchipped, get it done! Collars can come off, but microchips can't, and they save thousands of lives every year.
1. It's hot out there. You may have noticed. If next week is anything like this week, the 4th of July is going to be a scorcher; you can bet it'll be over 90 degrees (although that'll feel downright brisk compared to the 100's we're looking at for the next few days). Heat can be a dangerous thing for any pet, but the extra-fluffy, squashy-faced, and older ones are all at additional risk. Just use some basic common sense heat-safety tactics: make sure there's shade (or better yet, somewhere indoors to go and cool off if your pet seems to be getting overheated) and plenty of fresh, cool water to drink. Know your pet's limits and don't push it. Whatever you do, do not leave your pet in your car; on a 90 degree day, temperatures in your car climb to 110 degrees in just 10 minutes. And, know the signs of heatstroke: heavy, excessive panting; tongue and gums bright red or dark purple; vomiting and thick, mucusy saliva; loss of coordination or collapse. Heat stroke is serious, and your normal vet probably will not be open on the 4th. Do your homework ahead of time - just in case - and have contact info on hand for a nearby emergency vet clinic. If your pet is exhibiting any of the symptoms of heat stroke, seek help immediately; move him indoors, and run cool (but not cold - cold can send him into shock) water over him to gradually lower his body temperature until you can get him to the vet. 
2. People food abounds. What holiday would be complete without way too much food? The 4th is full of burgers, hotdogs, and beer - all things your pet should not be eating. Consider this: a 20lb dog eating a hotdog is the equivalent of a smallish person eating 3 hamburgers. If there's a little cheese on there, you're talking about the equivalent of another 2 1/2 hamburgers. In that one "treat," your dog is consuming a couple of days worth of calories. Not healthy...and if you've ever had a dog get into something fatty and delicious and had to clean up after it, er, afterwards, you know it's not a pretty sight. Plus, there are hidden hazards in giving your pet people food. Like onions on your burger? They're toxic to pets. Think it's cute when your dog drinks a little beer? Also toxic. Set strict rules, and make sure any and all of your guests know it, too: No people food for the pets, and definitely no beer. Trust us, it'll save you a mess, a vet bill, and it could save your pet's life.
3. Sunscreens and bug repellants aren't all pet-safe. It's important to make sure your pet doesn't get crispy and chewed, but don't just put whatever you put on yourself on your pets. First of all, DEET is very dangerous for pets; we're talking neurological effects. And sunscreens are likely to get licked off and eaten, resulting in drooling, vomiting, diarrhea...all things you don't really want happening at your 4th of July party (or ever). Think ahead: make sure the monthly flea and tick prevention you use on your pets also repels mosquitoes. If it doesn't, ask your vet to recommend something that does. Or, use natural alternatives like citronella candles - just make sure they're up out of reach where they can't be eaten. The best way to keep your dog from getting sunburned is also part of the solution to the heat problem: make sure there's plenty of shade around, and put it to good use.
4. To quote the ever-popular Frankenstein's monster: "Fire, BAAAAD!" This should go without saying, but fire, explosives, and pets do not and should not mix. Keep matches, sparklers, grills and all other open fire sources away from your pets, and never leave an open flame unattended. It's never safe to assume that your pet is smart and knows better than to stick his face in something that's on fire, because let's face it, he's probably not and probably doesn't. Either way, you don't want to find out the hard way, so err on the side of caution. As far as fireworks go, it's best that your pet is safely indoors before you start setting anything off. Even small explosions are noisy, confusing, and scary to pets, and they may panic and wind up in the line of fire. At the very least, have your pet leashed before anyone starts lighting any fuses, and be prepared to head inside the moment he seems fearful. Also, keep in mind that it is very dry out there right now and the outdoors is more flammable than usual; you definitely don't want to be the person whose pet panics and starts the wildfire that burns down the neighborhood. 
5. The 5th of July is one of the busiest days of the year for humane societies and animal control agencies. Why? Because the 4th of July can be horrifying for pets. Pets who are afraid of thunderstorms and other loud noises are especially vulnerable on the 4th; the sound of large-scale fireworks displays being set off is enough to send many pets into full-on panic mode. Thousands of pets escape and become lost on the 4th of July every year in a desperate attempt to escape the noise, putting them at risk for injury or death; on the 5th, rescue organizations are inundated with calls about lost pets, calls about found pets, and reports of wandering animals in need of pick-up. Don't put your pet in that position: keep him indoors during fireworks displays! It is much harder to escape from a home than it is to escape from a yard. If you have a Thundershirt, use it. It may also help to turn on the TV or radio to further muffle the noise of the fireworks. And take precautions, just in case: make sure that your pet is wearing a sturdy, reflective collar with current ID tags. If he's microchipped, double-check your contact info with the microchip company ahead of time and make sure it's up-to-date; if he's not microchipped, get it done! Collars can come off, but microchips can't, and they save thousands of lives every year.
