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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

Do people medicate their dogs during 'firework season'?

35 replies

cherrypez · 01/01/2015 00:26

Is this even a thing? A neighbour says she gives her dogs tablets from the vet to calm them down when it's bonfire night. After a miserable night with ddog tonight I'm wondering if anyone has any solutions? It's quite upsetting seeing him like this.

OP posts:
Purplecircle · 01/01/2015 00:28

Yes we always had to around NYE and Halloween to bonfire night. Can't remember what they were called but they were from the vets

EdYouKateShaun · 01/01/2015 00:29

I haven't as I sorry of forgot people would be letting them off. I'll never go through another bonfire night without getting something. It's miserable all round.

Itsgoingtoreindeer · 01/01/2015 00:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

saintlyjimjams · 01/01/2015 00:31

No, my dog had those cd's played to him as a puppy & so doesn't bat an eyelid (is snoring next to me now while it sounds like ww3 out there). I think they can work with adult dogs as well. You start with the volume really low (can barely hear it) then increase every day until it's really loud.

NiceCupOfTeaAndALittleSitDown · 01/01/2015 00:32

Tried the meds and a Thundershirt but DDog is still going bonkers. Poor boy thinks we're living in a war zone right now Sad

JingleBellsJuliet · 01/01/2015 00:34

After a hideous bonfire night with pup, which was repeated tonight (plus got my friends BC here too, who is also terrified), it's certainly something on my list to ask the vet about at our appointment next week. I've had the tv on so loud all evening that I'm expecting a visit from the councils noise pollution department tomorrow, and pup is still shaking and panting so much he's vomiting :(

Original poster
cherrypez · 01/01/2015 00:44

I will remember to go to the vet before November this year! Thanks all, the CD sounds great too, although my boy (BC) is getting on a bit now...he seems to get worse each year, never bothered him much as a nipper.

OP posts:
emmelinelucas · 01/01/2015 00:57

Give your nervous dog a pork pie. It really does calm some dogs down.
Honestly !

JingleBellsJuliet · 01/01/2015 01:14

Sadly when pup is this scared, he won't eat a thing! He's even turned down dried tripe tonight, which is like doggy crack to him normally!

emmelinelucas · 01/01/2015 01:25

Oh dear..hmm..would he drink guinness ? That knocks them out.I don't advocate a gallon of it, just a bottle.
My dog was terrible, it was only when she stopped creating on bonfire night that we realised she had gone deaf.
My dog would have done anything for a buttered crumpet Smile

fluffymouse · 01/01/2015 01:33

My poor dog vomited with fear/anxiety tonight.

Medicating seems a bit extreme. Any other suggestions?

wreckingball · 01/01/2015 01:49

No, but after tonight I'm wondering if we should, she's a wreck.

tabulahrasa · 01/01/2015 04:19

Not the current dog, but years ago I had one that was sedated for bonfire night, I'm pretty sure there are quite a few pharmaceutical things to try now rather than just sedation, so it would be worth at least talking it over with the vet.

Lonecatwithkitten · 01/01/2015 09:05

The most effective product that we give clients is actually a her ally product and not a drug, called nutracalm. Just calms them down to normal dog state.

Gingerfudge · 01/01/2015 09:23

We used the cd of sounds too, not sure if it was that or whether Dpup is just naturally not bothered but he is very chilled around fireworks.

hoochymama1 · 01/01/2015 11:36

Anyone have a link to the cd?Smile

ender · 01/01/2015 11:53

Not sure if CD's likely to help, perhaps depends on exactly why the dog is barking. Some are just terrified, mine doesn't seem scared, more in guarding mode and very barky.
Seems to be more about the vibrations and the fact that he can't locate exactly where the firework noise is coming from, recorded sounds won't help with that.
Don't know if its a coincidence and he's grown out of the behaviour but last night I turned up White Noise machine to full blast and he completely ignored all the noise at midnight.

saintlyjimjams · 01/01/2015 12:23

This is the CD
www.amazon.co.uk/Clix-Noises-and-Sounds-CD/dp/B005LFOVWW

My dog is very excitable - except to noises. He was played the CD from day 1 though (& also severely autistic ds1's noises - the whole litter were habituated to a CD of him!)

TotallySociallyInep · 01/01/2015 13:14

Tentatively tip toes into the doghouse
After hearing about someone buying a thunder jacket for there Dogs and it working people discussed things like t-shirts had worked on theirs. So as it cost nothing and wouldn't do any harm I put my pj top on mind and tied a knot tomake it snug. She was considerable better, happy to curl up and occasionally looked up worried.
I not saying that this is the answer and it will work on every Dog.
Just an anecdote.

hoochymama1 · 01/01/2015 16:15

Thanks, saintly Smile

insanityscratching · 01/01/2015 16:59

Eric's not bothered by them thankfully, we never prepared him he just seems pretty bombproof anyway. He barely raised an eyebrow last night, probably a bit puzzled why we were all still up rather than having left him to sleep in peace tbh.

punter · 01/01/2015 17:10

punter lab just wants to go out in the garden and race around madly, wanting to join in presumably. Does not seem worried just excited. He was inside in the kitchen when the full mortar attack went off at midnight, we were upstairs. He was tired this morning (for a lab) presumably lost out on his beauty sleep, but soon recovered on his walk/chasing with other dogs.

CarbeDiem · 01/01/2015 18:00

Sorry to hijack - I was going to start a thread about fireworks myself last night/this morning.

Is it normal for a pup (17 weeks) to not be afraid or really bothered at all? She noticed them, her ears were twitching and she looked at me with a WTF? expression but nothing more.
Have any of your dogs been like that then became afraid later?
I've had two other dogs and as far as I remember they were both terrified from young.
Oh and there's nothing wrong with her hearing.

Thanks.

ender · 01/01/2015 18:14

I think it's got a lot to do with breed Carbe. My lab has always ignored fireworks, makes sense that gun dogs/retrievers don't panic when they hear loud noises. They wouldn't be much good at the job they were bred for otherwise.

MewlingQuim · 01/01/2015 18:30

DDog used to piss herself and throw herself at the windows in a panic. We have never tried medication, if we are in she is calmer but looks to us for what to do so we have found it best to pretend nothing is happening. Making a fuss of her seems to make it worse because she knows something is 'wrong'. She is much better since DD was born, maybe she doesn't want to be a wimp in front of the toddler Hmm

If we go out we put the radio on a normal volume (radio 4 or something else with people talking rather than music), close the curtains and leave the lights on so the flashes are less noticible. She seems calm when we return and the neighbours havent said they hear her bark so I think she is ok.