Helping dog through NYE

[Wonderflonium]

My dog is anxious about fireworks. In the lead up to NYE, she just barks angrily but on the night itself, she cowers in the kitchen, can't be distracted with games/food and shakes all night. Where we live, they set them off from about teatime and then they peak from 11pm-2am.

Last year, we got her used to her thunder jacket and used it, we got the "calm down" hormone spray, we walked her in the early evening to get her nice and tired. (I guess it was better than her first experience of fireworks which was disastrous because we invited friends with a dog she liked over. Their dog doesn't care about fireworks so we figured, she'd learn fireworks are NBD. But the other dog was in season and moody as hell, our dog was on edge all night because there was this grumpy dog in her territory and explosions going off around her. )

I'm pregnant and due 13th January which means I could go into labour NYE.
When I go into labour, the plan is to pack her off to my MIL. If this happens on NYE, this will be extra stressful.

I am bearing in mind that the worry about my dog might inhibit labour but if we were THAT unlucky, what can we do to help the dog get through it?

Could we ask the vet for tranquillisers or something?

Is there anything we can do this year to make it better than last year, if I don't go into labour and we're around to do it?

My dog hates fireworks and thunder but barks her head off, rather than cowering. She can also be distracted with really good treats. I did mention it to the vet though and he said you can get diazepam for dogs if they're really anxious. Yours sounds like she would be a good candidate for that... They also suggested allowing her a safe space but my dog is a spoilt brat and has the run of the house to help make them feel secure.
Best of luck, it's awful seeing them frightened.

Our dog is awful with fireworks too :( poor things, wish we could just explain to them that it's ok.

Definitely speak to your vet, they should be able to give you some tablets to help. We just had some herbal ones and a plug in for bonfire night and it definitely made a difference (although the dog was very suspicious when she was eating her food with the tablets in )

Close curtains?
Background noise. My pup finds washer and dryer soothing. TV or radio.
You can buy CDs with scary noises on. The idea is to start really low volume and increase.
Don't over cuddle and comfort her. Or she will assume there really is reason to be scared.
Hope some of those are helpful. Don't know if vets can prescribe stuff.

Thanks guys! God, I hope I'm there when it all kicks off with the celebrations!

My dog wears a Thunder shirt, has calming spray and is prescribed diazepam by the vets every bonfire night and new year, definitely takes the edge off. It's so horrible to see them anxious and afraid :(

Our girl takes Nutracalm, a gentle tablet which is prescribed by the vet.

If the noise near you is very severe, have you considered a boarding kennel for the night in a quieter rural area?

There's not a lot of choice of kennels around here and I think they're all going to be much of a muchness with noise :(

My partner has suggested taking her for a drive out into the countryside and parking in a wood somewhere. As it's all night and not just midnight that's the issue, I shot it down. But yeah, maybe next year we need to rent a holiday home in the back of beyond to get her out of range.