Fourth of July Considerations for Pets
Here we cover important holiday aspects to consider for your pets to have a safe 4th of July. If you’re celebrating, it’s best to keep pets inside in a safe, quiet place with some background noise (like a TV or fan). A little extra caution can save you (and your pet) a lot of stress!
Fireworks & Loud Noises
- Fireworks: The sound of fireworks exploding can result in terror for a lot of pets! Fear and stress lead to pets shaking, hiding, and some may even try to escape out a door or open window to get away.
- If they panic, they might bolt out of the house or yard, which is how a lot of pets go missing around the holiday.
- Their ears are super sensitive, so prolonged loud noise can hurt their hearing.
BBQ & Party Food
- Toxic Foods: Common barbecue foods like onions, garlic, grapes, chocolate, and alcohol can be toxic.
- Fatty foods: Greasy food such as burgers, ribs, and potato chips can trigger pancreatitis, which is painful and dangerous for dogs.
- Bones & skewers: Consumption of these items may lead to intestinal blockages, or perforations of the esophagus, stomach, or intestines.
Heat & Sun Exposure
- Overheating: Can happen quickly, especially in the summer heat. A mix of excitement and hot weather can rapidly lead to heatstroke.
- Dehydration: Always keep fresh water available and check on your pet to ensure that they haven’t been so distracted by the festivities that they forget to drink water.
- Hot pavement or sand: Hot surfaces can burn paw pads so test it with your hand before letting them walk on it. If it’s too hot for you, it’s too hot for them!
Open Flames & Fire Hazards
- Grills & Fire Pits: Curious pets may get burned or knock over hot items.
- Citronella candles & tiki torches: May smell interesting to pets but can be toxic if licked or knocked over.
Toxic Substances
- Glow Sticks & Fireworks Residue: Ingesting glow stick fluid or spent fireworks can cause poisoning.
- Bug Sprays & Sunscreens: Many contain chemicals toxic to pets if licked.
Crowds & Parties
- Overstimulation: Large gatherings can overwhelm pets, leading to anxiety.
- Some pets love attention, while others get overwhelmed by the noise and strangers.
- Guests Leaving Doors Open: A distracted guest may accidentally let a pet escape.
- Mingling unfamiliar dogs: Not all dogs are friendly when meeting new dogs, which can result in injuries or worse.
Water Dangers
- Unsupervised Swimming: Not all pets are strong swimmers, and strong currents can be dangerous.
- Pool Chemicals & Salt Water: Drinking treated or salty water can cause poisoning.
Make sure your pet’s ID tags and microchip info are up to date, just in case they do manage to escape.