New Years' Fireworks and Dogs
Thursday, December 18, 2003
PHILADELPHIA --
New Year's Eve, a holiday celebrated with
fireworks and noisy rockets, is
fast approaching. While humans delight in the spectacle of sound
and light
during this holiday, some dogs can react with fear and great
anxiety as they hear the unaccustomed, loud noises. Some dogs may
even panic and injure themselves.
Dr.
Ilana Reisner, assistant professor of behavioral medicine, at
Penn's School of
Veterinary Medicine, offers the following suggestions to keep
noise-sensitive dogs comfortable:
Dogs can respond
with profound fear to loud, booming noises such as thunder or
fireworks. In fact, some dogs appear to develop a worsening fear
over time that eventually is characterized as a phobia. Noise-phobic
dogs can respond with extreme efforts to escape the noise. What
starts as mild signs of distress, such as pacing, trembling and
panting, can develop into chewing and digging at points of exit,
particularly if the dogs are alone at home. It is not unusual
for unsuspecting owners to come home to extraordinary destruction of doorways, windows and other routes
of "escape"
Dogs with severe noise phobias have even been known to chew
through drywalls and jump through plate glass windows.
Luckily, most
dogs will show milder signs of anxiety at first, giving owners
at least some warning of an impending phobia. There are some
measures that can be taken to prevent extreme phobic reactions. First,
dogs should not be taken to community fireworks or other noisy
events. Any early signs of anxiety (such as
clinginess, panting, pacing or trembling) are best
ignored or distracted by play. Although it may seem tempting to
reassure a frightened dog, petting and reassurances may have the
opposite effect by reinforcing the dog's frightened behavior.
It is helpful,
however, to watch the dog and see if he or she is seeking a
hiding place. Noise-phobic dogs will often try to
hide in a closet or beneath a desk; such efforts can
be encouraged by offering food treats in the safe
haven and the dog praised for seeking shelter. Hiding can
be a very effective strategy for dogs frightened by noises --
and is much less destructive to the home. It also helps to keep
a radio or television on as background noise which can muffle
outside sounds.
Finally, if a
dog has shown signs of distress in the past, it may be helpful
to discuss use of anti-anxiety medication -- whether for a night
of fireworks or for the entire thunderstorm season -- with a veterinarian.
Penn's School of Veterinary Medicine is one of the world's premier veterinary schools. Founded in 1884, the School was built on the concept of Many Species, One Medicine™. The birthplace of veterinary specialties, the School serves a distinctly diverse array of animal patients, from pets to horses to farm animals at our two campuses. In Philadelphia, on Penn's campus, are the Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital for companion animals, as well as classrooms, laboratories and the School's administrative offices. The large-animal facility, New Bolton Center, in Kennett Square, Pa., encompasses hospital facilities for the care of horses and food animals as well as diagnostic laboratories serving the agriculture industry. The School has successfully integrated scholarship and scientific discovery with all aspects of veterinary medical education.
Visit us on-line at www.vet.upenn.edu