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SALT LAKE CITY -- It happens every year.
"We will get a number of animals that are lost, that are out roaming and have run away from home and can't find their way home because they'll panic and take off, trying to find a safe place," said Dr. Dennis Law with Cottonwood Animal Hospital.
Most dogs seem to have no problem with fireworks blasting off. But other dogs have varying degrees of firework anxiety.
Dr. Law says for some dogs, fear can build and seem even more intense when they hear fireworks a few weeks after hearing them the first time. So, for some dogs, fireworks on the 24th of July may be more frightening than they were on the Fourth of July.
"I just talked with someone whose dog had actually chewed through two walls and a solid wood door," Law said.
Dogs that are that fearful of fireworks might need to be medicated. But dog owners should never give their pet medicine without checking with a vet. Some dog medications may seem very similar to what humans take, but other medicines can be highly toxic.
Law says other signs of anxiety, like increased breathing, may be hard to spot.
"Your dog might stay close to you and might be fearful," he said.
So, what should dog owners do? Law says many people may try to distract their dog by playing, but this isn't always a good idea.
"Unknowingly, it kind of increases or encourages the anxiety behavior. So, in some ways, we might, by trying to help, make the problem worse," he explained.
He says it may help to take your dog to a cool, quiet place where the lights aren't too bright to calm it down. It's fine if you stay there with the dog, but be calm and quiet so the dog isn't agitated.
E-mail: pnelson@ksl.com
