How to keep your dog safe this 4th of July

Whether you’re throwing a BBQ, hanging at the beach with friends, boating, or shooting off fireworks, you know exactly what you need to do to make this 4th of July weekend the most fun it can be.

But what about your pup? Vetted is here to tell you exactly what you need to know to make sure your dog is safe and happy this weekend!

Before 4th of July:

• Make sure your animal’s microchip works and the information on it is correct.
• If your animal doesn’t have a microchip, talk to your veterinarian about getting one
• Keep other forms of proper identification on them like a collar with a name tag
• If your dog has had previous episodes of extreme anxiety with loud noises or fireworks, talk to your veterinarian to see if medication may be helpful to your dog

While you’re celebrating:

• Never leave food or drinks unattended or feed table scraps from your cookout, as some of it can be toxic and harmful to your dog
• Make sure your pet stays cool in shade, on a cooling mat, in the water or in the air conditioning as heat stroke is more prevalent during the hot summer months and holidays
• Never use fireworks around dogs and try and keep them inside as much as possible during the fireworks
• Drown out the sounds of the fireworks with calming music for your dog
• Keeping all the blinds closed can help calm your dog down from the visual stimulation of fireworks
• Keep outside products like citronella candles, tiki torches, lighter fluid, charcoal, etc away from your dogs reach
• Let the kids play with the sparklers, bubbles, glow sticks and not your dog as the chemicals in them are harmful and toxic

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