Top 10 4th of July Safety Tips for Your Dog

June 14, 2010 by Kelley
Filed under Dog Advice, Dog Health

For most people, Fourth of July celebrations make this a fun and exciting time of the year, but your dog might not agree. When you celebrate our independence this holiday be sure to keep the following pet-friendly tips in mind:

Loud, crowded fireworks displays can be scary for your dog, resist the urge to take them with you to watch the fireworks. Instead, keep your dog safe from the noise in a quiet, sheltered, and escape-proof area at home.
Keep your pets indoors at home in a sheltered, quiet area. Some dogs become destructive when frightened, removed any items you do not want your dog to destroy as well as anything that could hurt your dog.
Leave a television or radio playing at normal volume while you are out of the house to help drown out the noise of the fireworks.
If you know that your pet is afraid of loud noises, you may want to use Pet calm on July 4th as a way to help alleviate the fear and anxiety.
Never leave your dog outside unattended, even in a fenced yard or on a chain. In their fear, pets who normally wouldn’t leave the yard may escape and become lost, or become entangled in their chain, risking injury or death.
Keep an identification tag/microchip on your dog just in case he/she happens to escape and get lost. The tag/microchip will increase the chance of Fido being returned to you safe and sound.
Don’t apply sunscreen or insect repellent not specifically intended for your dog. Ingesting sunscreen can cause drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy. Insect Repellant can contain DEEP, which can cause neurological problems.
Keep Matches, lighter fluid, and fireworks away from your dog. Matches can contain chlorates, which can damage blood cells resulting in difficulty breathing, kidney disease, gastrointestinal irritation, and central nervous system depression. If it’s inhaled can cause aspiration pneumonia, which could develop into breathing problems.
Never use fireworks around your dog. Exposure to lit fireworks even sparklers can potentially cause burns or trauma to Fido. Fireworks which haven’t been lit can contain harmful chemicals such as potassium nitrate, arsenic, and heavy metals.
If you’re planning a picnic keep food and drinks away from your dog. Many types of human food can be harmful to your pet see Poisonous Foods For Dogs for a complete list.

For many people, nothing beats lounging in the backyard on the Fourth of July surrounded by good friends and family (including the four-legged members of the household). While it may seem like a great idea to reward Rover with scraps from the grill and bring him along to watch fireworks, in reality, some festive foods and products can be potentially hazardous to your pets. Now, I’m not trying to make you paranoid or encourage you to exclude your dog from participating in anything fun, my goal is for this list to help everyone have a safe and joyful Independence Day!

What do you do to keep your dog safe on 4th of July add your tips below!!