Many of us celebrated the 4th of July with fireworks. But did you think of poor fido? I don’t know if your dog gets scared or not, but I know mine does. In my house, we refer to the 4th of July as National scare your dog day.

Every year, Barley acts like the world is ending. He doesn’t budge from the bathroom, which is the most central room in our home. There you will find him shaking like a leaf, drooling up a puddle around him. No amount of hugs and kisses will calm him down, but he demands them anyways. I wish I could pluck Barley out of the field of bombs he thinks he’s in and place him in a padded, quiet room of calm.

When we go for walks, he is almost too scared to even go on the grass. It takes him an extra ten minutes to work up the courage to take a poop. In the past, I’ve tried medications and natural calming remedies, to no avail. He’s a Sheltie mix and naturally a nervous Nelly to begin with. The meds just make him loopier than normal, but still shaky and nervous. Perhaps just more drool.

On a more serious note, many dogs end up in the ER on the 4th of July due to them being so scared. It can get so bad that they could start showing neurological signs. If your dog displays the following symptoms, consider taking them to the veterinarian:

Collapsing, jerking, stiffening, muscle twitching, loss of consciousness, drooling, chomping, tongue chewing, or foaming at the mouth. Your dog may walk in circles and bump into things. He might have a lot of drool on his chin and could be bleeding in his mouth if he bit himself. He may try to hide.

If you’re in the Chicagoland area, there are many great options for animal ER care for days like the 4th when your normal Vet is closed. I.e. MedVet, VSC, and Blue Pearl.

Is your pet scared of the fireworks? Do you have a remedy that works? If you do, please share below.