Is your pet scared of fireworks?

Transcription

1 CREAM.poP.BA SHH.WHOOsh.F WHINE.pooof.S CRATCH. fiz.gg E.HISS.CRACKL W.poP.scream h.swishh.ban Is your pet scared of fireworks? Information to help your pet this fireworks season

2 cream.fizzzz What to do HOOsh.pooof straight away cream.fizzzz HOOsh.pooof Provide a den or hiding place animals naturally hide when they are scared and it can help to provide a safe place which they can squeeze into, like an understairs cupboard or an indoor kennel with blankets over the top and inside. An ideal place is somewhere near the centre of the house, or where they have previously hidden. Muffle the sound of fireworks close curtains, shut outside doors and windows, and have your pet as near to the centre of the house as possible. Put on the TV or radio to mask the bangs. Keep them inside don t let pets outside when fireworks are likely or during a display close cat flaps. Take dogs out for toilet purposes before it gets dark and then keep them in. A firework going off when they are outside can lead to a fear of going out. Don t over-fuss them this can be difficult, but if they rely on you for comfort during scary events, they will be less able to cope when you are not at home and make matters worse in the long-term. Stay calm yourself most pets can sense when their owners are worried, and this increases their stress. Let them hide and leave them until the fireworks have finished and they come out. You can give your pets lots of fuss once they emerge. Don t get angry although your pet s behaviour may be annoying, it is happening because they are scared and getting cross will only make them worse. Don t try and take your pet out of its hiding place this increases their stress and could lead to aggression. Prepare for unusual behaviour fear can make your pet behave out of character. For example, if they anticipate that going into the garden predicts a loud noise, they may hide or show aggression to avoid going outside. Talk to your vet they can advise short-term measures which may include medications, particularly if they don t settle but pace around in distress. This will help reduce your pet s stress during upcoming firework events and help prevent their fears becoming worse. Your vet can also advise a long-term preventative approach.

3 ZzzzZ.poP.bang What to fffffff.hisss do in the long-term Fear of fireworks doesn t get ZzzzZ better pop.bang on its own in fact it is likely to get worse over time and lead fffffff.hisss to other behaviour problems. Behaviour therapy (including noise desensitisation) generally very successful at changing the response to fireworks and other loud noises, but the earlier you seek help, the better the outcome is likely to be. Discuss this with your vet referral to a qualified animal behaviourist may be best for some pets. Sound desensitisation is proven to help many pets with sound related problems, by teaching them a different behavioural response. Desensitisation involves exposing your pet to the stressful sound in a controlled manner whilst they are relaxed and occupied with a treat or toy. This method involves the use of CDs pre-recorded with a variety of sounds such as fireworks and thunder. Sound desensitisation programmes should not be used during the time when the scary sound is likely to occur. For fireworks the best time to start the programme is after New Year. These programmes should not be rushed sound desensitisation takes weeks to months depending on the individual pet. However this time is an investment in your pet s future. What is Zylkène? Zylkène contains casein hydrolysate, derived from milk protein casein. Zylkène is a complementary feed and is not known to interact with medicinal products. Zylkène is natural, palatable and easy to give with food, and only needs to be given once daily.

4 .SWISHhhhhH ssss.whine.s How do I use Zylkène?.SWISHhhhhH ssss.whine.s Give the capsule whole, or open and mix the water-soluble powder with food or a treat. Zylkène can be fed short-term e.g. kennel or cattery stay, fireworks, or long-term e.g. multi-cat households. The recommended daily amount is shown in the table and should be administered once daily. For short-term use begin Zylkène 1-2 days before the event. Zylkène can also be fed for 1-2 months and repeated according to veterinary advice. Zylkène may support pets undergoing sound desensitisation. Zylkène 75mg Zylkène 225mg Up to 5kg (11lb) Between 5 and 10kg (11-22lb) Between 10 and 20kg (22-44lb) 1 capsule a day 2 capsules a day 1 capsule a day Zylkène 450mg Between 20 and 40kg (44-88lb) Over 40kg (88lb) 1 capsule a day 2 capsules a day Zylkène is... Cost effective Easy to give Hypoallergenic

5 SCREAM. FIzzZ.poP. bang.swishh. HoooSH. Is your pet scared of fireworks? A recent survey 1 has shown that nearly 50% of dogs suffer from firework stress. Fireworks are no longer just a 5th November event and have now become a welfare issue. Unfortunately if left untreated, firework stress gets worse and often progresses to other sounds such as thunder and gun shots, but can also include everyday sounds like car doors slamming. When looking at ways to manage firework stress we must not just consider methods to cope on the actual firework night but also long term to help prevent the problem from recurring.

6 scream.fizzz.s pop. bang.swi.pooof.hisss. hisss.whine.s ROWL.CRACKL WHOOsh.MEOW BANG.WWHOOs References: 1. You Gov Survey Zylkène contains casein hydrolysate. Zylkène is a complimentary feed for cats and dogs. Zylkène is a trademark of Intervet International B.V. or affiliated companies or licensors and is protected by copyrights, trademark and other intellectual property laws. Copyright 2011 Intervet International B.V., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA. All rights reserved. Further information is available from: MSD Animal Health, Walton Manor, Walton, Milton Keynes MK7 7AJ Tel: