fireworks night -recommend your best tranquilizer for my dog

[stirrupleathers]

Morning, my dog gets so upset with fireworks, can you recommend a good tranquilizer that I can get this week??

Op classic FM are playing soothing music for animals around bonfire night. Might help with the nerves x

Sadly it does not help at all

Vets can prescribe something

I thought of driving out to countryside with him. Anyone tried this? Downside I can think of is driving past idiots still letting off late at night, causing panic inside the car.

Have you discussed the issue with your vet?

We had to get diazepam for our old dog, wrap him in a blanket and classic fm on the speaker next to him

You can get Zylkene online now.

Dosage is dependent on size/weight for dogs.

We live in a village, from the direction of the noises some of the local farms hold fireworks parties, I wouldn't assume it's all quiet and tranquil!

See the vet. And look at a thundershirt - or the wrap options you can try yourself.

This year our dog has been prescribed some Sileo but apparently has to be put on the gums on the morning of the evening you anticipate problems . This seems like it could be a problem. In our area we have huge amounts of Divali fireworks which have started already and then runs into Bonfire night. they can go on for weeks. But other than the two main days we can't really anticipate which evenings are going to be bad . I obviously don't want to sedate him unnecessarily. We also have been given some chewey medication which has no name on the packet oddly ! We gave him one of those last night and it did seem to take the edge off things. At midnight on sat we were woken by an explosion of fireworks obviously with no warning and he was in a terrible state clawing my legs, shaking, panting. Last year was awful due to the length of time they went on for. I have lost our other dog to heart failure this year and determined not to lose another. When things are really bad I often end up sitting for hours with him in the downstairs toilet which is windowless in the centre of the house, with music blasting away.

Thanks, I was rhinking of Ilkley Moor, not far from me.

Just seen this if it helps anyone !

www.skygroup.sky/en-gb/article/sky-and-now-team-up-with-dogs-trust-to-launch-pop-up-bonfire-night-tv-channel-for-anxious-pets-

Speak to your vet mine gave us cannabis gummies. Dont know if its legal in the uk?? But they worked well. Previously they gave me a sedative.

Ours has NutriPaw calming tablets but you really need to use them for 6-8 weeks to see the full effect.

We use Piriton, we give her one tablet at about 4pm to give it time to kick in. Doesn't knock her out but definitely makes her sleepy and more able to cope.

Oooh piriton, I'm guessing it's safe! We live in a small village near to Leicester city centre and it's Diwali soon as well...just to add to the week's misery of fireworks. She was never bothered but now as she's older she's terrified. I was prescribed xanex from the vet last year and sileo the year before but if I don't anticipate the fireworks in time then she's too anxious and it tends not to work . I'm going to look Zylkene up now. I'm really grateful for all the advice

What weight is your dog @MissyB1?

She's 13 kg

Unfortunately Zyklene is very unlikely to be strong enough to do anything with a noise phobia. It is just a milk protein.

Your vet can prescribe things that may help - even that can be trial and error, Sileo, Xanax or Trazadone have been used but your vet will know the correct drug for your dog

Noise phobias tend to get worse with age.

The number of people who do not understand and just say desensitize and train your dog. Dogs know the difference from recoreded sounds and real sounds. Sometimes unfortunately prescribed medication is the only way to go.

We use valerian but have to give it to him about four hours before he needs it.

He's 35kg so obviously as smaller dog might not need so much time.

It's completely natural as long as the tablets have no hops in them

My vet prescribes gabapentin and trazodone for my dog

My dog has definitely got worse with age. He used to find comfort from a den, then he needed a thunder shirt. Now he's 8, he's needed prescription drugs for the past 3 years. It breaks my heart to see him so terrified.

My girl (now sadly passed) was similar, no problems at all until she was about 7 then the noise started to completely freak her out (panting to the point of nearly hyperventilating, whining constantly, cowering in the corner - poor thing!). The first year we tried music, wrapping blankets around her and over her ears and that didn't work, so the next couple of years we tried different meds from the vets. Again these didn't work - she was just as freaked out but kind of out of it and confused too, so I think it may have actually made her worse 😔.

We tried her with a thundershirt on a friend's recommendation the next year and she was like a different dog! Still whimpered a little at the bigger bangs but none of the crazy eyed panting and cowering.

If you haven't tried a thundershirt I would give that a go, you can get them from Pets at Home or any vets or pet store. I do think different things work for different dogs though, another friend tried a thundershirt for her boy and it made no difference at all.

You (and your pup) have my sympathies - it's a really tough time of year x