Deb D’Andrea

Nederland

Wow, I can’t believe it’s already the Fourth of July. This holiday, as with most holidays, can be hard on pets traveling in the hot summer heat or even when just hanging at home witnessing the festivities.

Due to the high fire danger this year, many traditional firework celebrations are not taking place, being replaced with laser light shows and other non-traditional celebrations, which have less of a Boom than traditional fireworks. Our pets are thankful for that.

Even though the boom factor may be reduced this year, our pets can still be affected by all the people, energy and commotion the festive holiday brings, and even the most social furry companion should be left home to enjoy some quiet couch time instead of experiencing the mayhem of the Independence Day activities. There are plenty of other social activities for them to enjoy the rest of the year.

If you have your own fireworks, which many people here in the mountains do not have due to the high fire danger, please keep your pets far away from them. Fireworks contain toxic substances like potassium nitrate, arsenic and other heavy metals, so even unlit these present a danger to our pets if consumed.

Once lit, many pets can be injured because they are curious and approach a lit firework that could potentially injure or severely burn them. The last thing you want to be doing is rushing your beloved pet to the emergency room because their nose was blown off or their foot burned by a firework.

While lots of goodies are being barbequed, try to refrain from feeding scraps from the grill. Not only does this reinforce and reward begging, but many times the meat includes cooked bone which will splinter and can cause major issues if consumed, sometimes leading to surgery.

Keep the garbage up off the ground, not at nose height, so they can’t stick their head in to graze at will. Not only are the cooked bones an issue, but the cob from corn on the cob is notorious for getting lodged in their intestinal tract, again resulting in surgery.

To all a happy and safe Fourth of July, I hope you day is filled with smiles.

Till next time. Deb D’Andrea, founder of 4TheLuvOfDogz, provides mobile Canine Massage, PawQuatics, Canine Agility and Petz Nanny Services. Her home-made dog treats are sold at local stores, and 4TheLuvOfDogz K9Birthday Cakes are available directly from her. Deb Petz Nanny’s for dogs, cats, birds, fish, horses, etc. Contact Deb at 720-675-7078 or info@4theluvofdogz.com.