Keeping Your Furry Friends Saf
The Fourth of July is just around the corner, bringing with it dazzling fireworks, backyard barbecues, and festive gatherings. While we often look forward to these celebrations, they can pose a significant source of stress and danger for our beloved pets. Here at La Cumbre Animal Hospital, we want to help you ensure your furry family members have a safe and peaceful holiday.
Firework Fright? We Can Help!
The loud booms and bright flashes of fireworks can be terrifying for many animals, triggering intense anxiety and sometimes panic. Their acute hearing makes the noise far more overwhelming than it is for us.
Our Strongest Recommendation: Leave Pets at Home.
We cannot stress this enough: do not bring your pets to firework displays. Even well-behaved pets can become disoriented and bolt when scared, leading to them getting lost or injured.
Preparation is Key!
Just like us, pets can benefit from a little preparation. You can try slowly acclimating your pet to firework sounds by playing recordings of fireworks at a low volume and gradually increasing it over time. This can help desensitize them to the noise.
When Anxiety Strikes: Our Calming Solutions
If your pet still shows signs of fear or anxiety, we have a range of options to help them cope:
- Natural Aids: For mild anxiety, we often recommend Solliquin and Adaptil. Solliquin is a supplement designed to support calm behavior, while Adaptil diffusers or collars release synthetic dog-appeasing pheromones that can have a calming effect.
- Prescription Medications: When natural options aren't enough, we have stronger tools to help. Trazodone and Gabapentin are commonly prescribed medications that can significantly reduce anxiety. In severe cases of firework-induced panic, Sileo is a highly effective gel that can be administered at home to provide rapid relief.
Please note that we'll be closed on the Fourth of July itself, but we'll reopen bright and early on the 5th. To ensure your pet has a calm holiday, we strongly recommend calling ASAP to discuss and pick up any necessary medications.
Barbecue Beware: Hidden Dangers for Dogs!
While backyard barbecues are a staple of summer, they pose several significant risks to our curious canines.
- The Treacherous Corn Cob: This is a huge one! Corn on the cob is a notorious cause of intestinal obstructions in dogs. Unlike other foods, the cob itself doesn't break down in the digestive system and can get stuck, often requiring emergency surgery.
- Grill Brush Hazards: Be incredibly careful with metal wire grill brushes! Small, sharp wire bristles can break off and stick to food or fall into the trash, leading to serious internal injuries if ingested by your pet.
- Unattended Food & Pancreatitis: A smorgasbord of rich, fatty barbecue foods can be irresistible to dogs but can lead to a painful condition called pancreatitis. This inflammation of the pancreas can cause severe vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain, often requiring hospitalization.
- Other Foreign Bodies: Bones, skewers, and even pieces of foil can all become dangerous foreign bodies if ingested.
Safety Tips for Your BBQ:
- Proper Corn Disposal: The best way to prevent corn cob incidents is to turn corn into a salad or remove it from the cob before serving, ensuring no cobs are accessible to your dog. If you do have cobs, dispose of them immediately and securely, out of reach of your dog.
- Secure Trash: Keep all garbage cans tightly lidded and out of reach.
- Supervise Food: Never leave food unattended where curious paws (or noses!) can get to it.
- Educate Guests: Let your guests know about these dangers and ask them to be mindful of your pets.
Paw Print in our Community
We were thrilled to once again support ASAP for Cats by sponsoring their Basil's Bash event this year! It was a wonderfully successful event that will greatly benefit many local felines in need. We love being a part of and giving back to our amazing Santa Barbara community!
Show Your Love: Vote for La Cumbre Animal Hospital!
Don't forget, you have through Monday to nominate your local favorites for The Independent's Best of Santa Barbara! We would be incredibly grateful if you nominated La Cumbre Animal Hospital. Your support means the world to us!
We hope these tips help you and your pets enjoy a safe and happy Fourth of July! If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to give us a call.
Warmly,
The Team at La Cumbre Animal Hospital