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**ErinRachel1021** · July 4, 2006, 06:08 AM

Re: Speaking of dogs ...the 4th

Poor Juju! It's good that you're taking care of her though. I wish someone would sedate me when it's known that I'll be stressed.
Cats generally have the same attitude towards fireworks that they do to everything else, which is "whatever". They're also pretty good at finding a "happy place" without feeling like the must escape and find their owner at once.
One of my cats was a kitten last year and what few sounds we had here in Fremont didn't register for him. The other...this is his first and he's a bit more jumpy, so we'll see what happens

**Luna Rossa** · July 4, 2006, 07:31 AM

Re: Speaking of dogs ...the 4th

I've heard alot of animals go missing on nights when there are fireworks. It would be heartbreaking to come home after a nice evening out to find your lovely pet has run off somewhere! Heidi, It's good you're taking the steps necessary to keep JuJube comfortable now that you know how badly she'll react. Chewing a DOOR?!? now that's determined!

It must be so terrifying for them

Halloween is a bad experience for our Red - screaming firecrackers and hordes of children in costumes hopped up on sugar banging on the door all night... She cowers under the bed until it's all over with and then we lavish on the love the rest of the night.

**Heidi3** · July 4, 2006, 07:51 AM

Re: Speaking of dogs ...the 4th

Oh Luna when I got home and saw that I was so upset ...not about the door but about her being so afraid!!! ...I had no idea she would react like that ...we are going to sedate her and stay home to watch fireworks off our deck ....they are legal here and I understand why folks love them ..I do!!! ..but really it is so unfair to animals .they have no clue

I just gave her a pill she will be fine...droopy ...these work well...but fine .....

she is a pitbull..so chewing a door off is not that big a deal to her she ripped it like paper ...

but she has not chewed one other thing in this house ..other than her toys ...

**Luna Rossa** · July 4, 2006, 08:28 AM

Re: Speaking of dogs ...the 4th

I'm glad to hear you're going to be staying close too while she's sedated. She'll no doubt be much more calm with mom and dad around

We had to give our Blue downers when she broke her leg to keep her off it and she didn't do very well on them. She was quite snuggly though, and remarkably calm for a 5 month old puppy lol. We had to keep her drinking water and wrap her in a blanket because the side effects of that particular drug were dehydration and becoming quite cold?!? Being a nurse I s'pose you'd know what to look for in a four legged creature lol

**dotsamantha** · July 4, 2006, 08:40 AM

Re: Speaking of dogs ...the 4th

Bear gets all frazzled also. Between the noise of fireworks and the amount of people on the block, i let him out early in the morning and then he stays in, with either the tv or radio on so he can't hear as much noise. We're right off the bay also, so there's always fireworks. Actually, someone just set off some firecrackers and he came barreling down the steps. I'd love the 4th more if it wasn't so loud, lol.

**Heidi3** · July 4, 2006, 08:43 AM

Re: Speaking of dogs ...the 4th

Originally posted by Luna Rossa

I'm glad to hear you're going to be staying close too while she's sedated. She'll no doubt be much more calm with mom and dad around

We had to give our Blue downers when she broke her leg to keep her off it and she didn't do very well on them. She was quite snuggly though, and remarkably calm for a 5 month old puppy lol. We had to keep her drinking water and wrap her in a blanket because the side effects of that particular drug were dehydration and becoming quite cold?!? Being a nurse I s'pose you'd know what to look for in a four legged creature lol

oh honey yes and I am glad you brought that up for all who read this ..I should have been more specific....I went to the vet ..Jujube got a current weight and check up done ..the vet gave me some good anti anxiety medication..that is actually one you can use on small kids safely ...based on her weight ...we test drove it first ...and gave her a half one on a good day and just watched her ....she did fine ...loopy but fine.....

she has since had one full pill yesterday ..and it sedated her well enough for me to feel comfortable that she will not freak out and be stressed .....but not too much for her to be ZONKED...as the vet told me to I gave her one half pill this morning so she has some in her before things start...and will give her one whole tablet when things get ugly ...she gave me the 24 hour total dosage she could handle ....and I have a drug to reverse it if she goes too loopy (that is only for safety she is still being "underdosed" for her wt)

and no I would never ever ever leave my dog alone sedated ....I would not leave anyone alone sedated ...

Thank you so much baby girl for the safety reminder

**Coop2004** · July 4, 2006, 09:29 AM

Re: Speaking of dogs ...the 4th

Our "Girl" is the same way with both fireworks and thunder - and we've been having alot of both of them lately.

We got medication from the vet too. The only problem is that the script says to take 1 hour before thunderstorms and/or fireworks. There are alot of people who shoot off their own fireworks (even if it is illegal), so you don't know when that's going to happen. And as far as thunderstorms, even if they are predicting them, there's no guarentee that they will occur. So we don't like to give her anything too much in advance, in case there's no need for it.

**sallyseachange** · July 4, 2006, 10:23 AM

Re: Speaking of dogs ...the 4th

One of my dogs (or the one I 'inherited') goes mad whenever there is thunder, fireworks, hunters shooting... and even when the fire in the fireplace crackles! Poor dog is simply terrified. If I sedated him every time, he'd be permanently zonked. I just try to reassure.

His favourite place to run and hide in is... of all things... the bathtub!!!

**Heidi3** · July 4, 2006, 10:26 AM

Re: Speaking of dogs ...the 4th

Linda that is why my vet told me to give half this AM and then hit her with a whole one later ...so she would not be in full panic when the suprise came she would be mellowed out early then buzzed by fireworks time but not oversedated ...

**ErinRachel1021** · July 4, 2006, 10:30 AM

Re: Speaking of dogs ...the 4th

My mother had the worlds dumbest cocker spaniel whose reaction to thunder storms, fireworks and anything else alarming was to run and look for something to eat, no matter what or where it was...if he could get his mouth around it...
Sounds like a lot of people, actually

**Heidi3** · July 4, 2006, 04:55 PM

Re: Speaking of dogs ...the 4th

Originally posted by ErinRachel1021

My mother had the worlds dumbest cocker spaniel whose reaction to thunder storms, fireworks and anything else alarming was to run and look for something to eat, no matter what or where it was...if he could get his mouth around it...
Sounds like a lot of people, actually

that dog is a stress eater ...OMG that is so funny!!!!

**Lady_Hawke** · July 4, 2006, 04:57 PM

Re: Speaking of dogs ...the 4th

I wish someone would invent a silent firecracker so we get all the beauty and lights but none of the horrid bangs.
My heart just goes out to all the animals who fear loud noises - what a horrid night the 4th is for them.
With my cat, I always made sure he was inside the house before dark and through til the next afternoon. He had the whatever attitude. Ralphy likes to watch the sky and see the fireworks and Sandi is afraid.

**theredhead** · July 4, 2006, 05:21 PM

Re: Speaking of dogs ...the 4th

You are so right on about this, Heidi! Our two dogs had only been with us (they were strays we took in) for 3-4 months last year on the 4th. We live in the country and have had a family fireworks party every year for about 15 years.

The dogs really freaked out and were so upset, I had to sit in the back yard with them while everyone else was in the front. One sat in my lap while the other leaned on me and they panted so hard! One of them finally went and hid in her doghouse and wouldn't come out. I felt so badly for them that I was tempted to ban fireworks at our house from now on. My DH isn't so sympathetic, though. I'd planned on talking to the vet about getting something to calm them, but as it turned out, we had our party last night and didn't do fireworks due to the drought conditions around here. I don't know what excuse I'll use next year, but we've gotten through this one. The neighbors are doing some fireworks and the dogs are nervous, but it's not too close. Here's my babies again:

**ErinRachel1021** · July 5, 2006, 06:04 AM

Re: Speaking of dogs ...the 4th

Heidi he once got so worked up at a family gathering with all the people that he JUMPED UP on the dining room table and pilfered an entire poached salmon...no small feat for a smaller dog. Needless to say from there on in he was shipped off to my mothers friends house during family gatherings.
Now her dog Bebe, who is a bichon maltese mix and the sweetest thing ever. She gets scared and will burrow under your blanket if she hears the wind howling. She's definitely got the attitude of Piglet..."It's so very hard to be brave when you're so very small!"

I hope everyones dogs made it through okay! Not one snap or bang to be heard here in Fremont...the cats wouldn't have known it was a special day had we not tidied up the house for a friends visit...ah to live where fireworks are illegal. San Francisco however....

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Speaking of dogs ...the 4th

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