Guy Fawkes From A Vet’s Perspective

In New Zealand, there are only four days a year that you’re allowed to buy fireworks. That’s the lead up to Guy Fawkes from November 2nd to 5th. And though the day is a visual spectacular for us humans, it’s not so fun for our furry friends.

Many of us know that fireworks are terrifying to most animals, but do we know exactly why – and what to do about it? We reached out to vet and Chair of Healthy Pets NZ, Dr Cath Watson, to find out.

How pets experience Guy Fawkes fireworks

Hi Dr Cath, can you explain to us why fireworks are so frightening to pets?

“Fireworks cause fear, stress and anxiety in many animals, and in some it becomes a genuine phobia. Fear can be judged as rational and appropriate when there’s a genuine threat; or irrational and inappropriate (or unconscious) when it becomes known as a phobia.

Sudden very loud noises, with or without seeing bright colours lighting up the sky, would probably have foretold the end of the world as a human pre- the development of fireworks. Some humans would have marvelled at the display, others run for cover and tried to hide away (fear), and a small group of others probably would have tried to take their own lives or harmed themselves trying to get away in blind terror to avoid what they’d see as their inevitable death coming otherwise (phobia).

These days, Guy Fawkes and fireworks from a human perspective are fine when you know what to expect. Many of us would even call it a fabulous experience. Even if you’re not expecting them, once the initial adrenalin rush of a loud noise runs through, and we can work out what’s going on, it’s generally okay.

But even for a human, it’s easy to get a fright if you’re not expecting them. A car backfiring, gun shots, deep rolling thunder, someone shouting or a ringing a bell on a bike behind you – all of these experiences can cause our hearts to race. That’s likely to make us go into a ‘fight or flight’ response until we work out whether the noise really is a threat to us or not.”

Escape at all costs

“Sometimes though we can’t, or at least some people can’t, and blind panic follows. And this is the same for the subset of animals who experience fireworks as a potentially existential threat. Fight or flight is exactly that – run away if you can, often with no thought to obstacles, direction or distance. If you can’t run away, then do everything you can to escape – destroy furniture, doors, windows, cages, whatever is blocking your path to escape.

Personal preservation revolves around getting away at ALL costs, no matter the damage to objects or yourself. And so, during every fireworks celebration or thunderstorm, this small subset of animals ends up injured, sometimes severely, all in their desperate need to get away from their phobia.”

Injuries

And for this subset of animals, have you had to treat injuries related to them trying to escape?

“Yes, and not just for Guy Fawkes fireworks, but also thunderstorms. Many times the damage to the animals is considerably less than the damage to the house they’ve been confined in. Think thousands of dollars to replace doors, windows, walls, furniture etc).

I’ve seen broken teeth, torn limbs especially toes and pads, damaged eyes and torn ears (they bleed A LOT!).

Also deep penetrating wounds from glass including one penetrating into the chest and lacerating a lung. I’ve also seen dogs hit by cars as they blindly run away, and horses get badly tangled in fences. The outcome can be death or euthanasia.

A vet’s perspective on Guy Fawkes

What would you as a vet most like people to know about pets and fireworks?

“If your pet is showing signs of an unreasonable response to loud noises, and especially if it gets worse with time, please don’t keep waiting to see if they’ll grow out of it. Get help!

Talk to your vet about medications, non-drug tools, and strategies you can use to help them. Referral to a veterinary behaviourist is money well spent to avoid recovery costs down the line.

Personally, I’d love to see the sale of fireworks for private use banned and their use restricted to notified public displays only. At least then they become a reliable stress that can be managed in advance.

While thunderstorms can’t be entirely predicted or avoided, they’re at least usually forecast so there’s some advance warning. I don’t see thunderstorms happening naturally as justification for adding the artificial stress of fireworks.

The New Zealand Veterinary Association policy on fireworks is very good, too. It outlines the effects of fireworks on animals and their impact on wildlife. It also makes recommendations of how fireworks in New Zealand should be managed.”

How to help your pet during Guy Fawkes fireworks

What can we as responsible pet owners do over Guy Fawkes to protect our animals?

“First off, if you have a cat or a dog, or any other pet, that during loud noises is doing itself damage, is damaging property, is trying to escape, and is generally massively overreacting to the sounds and the sights that happen through fireworks season – please go and seek advice from your veterinarian.

Animals that are truly phobic of loud noises and bright lights will need medication. They also need a plan of what you’re  going to do in the future to help them learn to adapt and cope with loud noises – so please see your vet.

Medications sometimes take a bit of time to work and as I mentioned, there’s  behavioural modification that needs to go with it. There are also various over-the-counter preparations that help, but for true phobia you’re going to need more than that.“

The below steps will help phobic animals in addition to getting medication. They can also be used to help calm animals that are only slightly nervous during fireworks and don’t require medication:

Create a safe space

“Try to bring your pet inside well ahead of any fireworks starting. Close the doors, windows and curtains and  dim the lights. This reduces some of that bright visual stimulation that happens with fireworks. Think about the things that make you feel really snug and in a safe place.

And remember that it’s not only cats and dogs you should bring inside, but also those small pets that live outside – things like rabbits, guinea pigs and birds. Remember that it’s a pretty unusual experience  for them to be seeing bright lights  and loud noises going off well after dark.”

Play background music

“Once they’re inside, try playing some music or leaving the TV on. This creates some of the familiar sounds that particularly cats and dogs would normally be  used to hearing. You can also play white noise to  try and provide some background noise that drowns out some of the Guy Fawkes fireworks. There’s actually pet-specific music and TV that you can put on, which might work better than just general TV. “

Objects and exercise during Guy Fawkes

“Have a look around  and remove any items that could injure them if they do  get a really big fright and want to go running for cover somewhere. Pet proofing your home includes putting away sharp objects and anything that can fall and break.

Provide them with somewhere to hide. That might be the bed that they would normally use or a crate, or you can nest cardboard boxes together so that there’s a relatively soundproof but also small space for them to hide into.

Providing some clothing you’ve  worn that smells like you also helps provide a bit of reassurance. For dogs, give them exercise early in the day. This will make them more likely to be tired  and wanting to rest by the evening.”

Keep calm and be consistent

“If your pet is still getting really wound up and clearly a bit agitated, be calm and consistent yourself. It’s okay  to reassure them. You don’t want to be too over-the-top in your reassurance, but you don’t want to ignore them either.

Think of how you are when you’re upset or fearful about something. The last thing you want is to be ignored, but having somebody be over-the-top doesn’t help either.”

Keep them distracted during Guy Fawkes

“Distract them with food, food puzzles or lick mats – things that take a little  bit more time and are going to occupy them. Think chew toys and toys that you only bring out when they’re fearful so that they understand what the toys are for.

Also make sure that they’re microchipped and that there’s some form of ID on them for if they do escape during Guy Fawkes. That you can be contacted if someone  finds them outside running on the streets.”

‘Doggles’ and noise reduction

“There are other things that can help that you’ll need to teach them how to use beforehand – like doggles. These are glasses for dogs that help reduce some of the visual  stimulation. You can also try calming caps or noise cancelling headphones. Another option is to get a noise-cancelling kennel made,  so that all those sounds are drowned out for them.

Again, if you’ve got to the point where you’ve  got a pet who’s really struggling and you’re concerned that they’re damaging  themselves, or going to damage themselves or property, please go and seek veterinary advice.”

Pet insurance for the unexpected

Guy Fawkes and other celebrations can be stressful for pets and lead to injuries. That’s why it’s so important to be prepared for the unexpected.

Pet insurance gives you peace of mind and helps pay toward all your eligible vet bills. With a fast reimbursement process (in as little as two days),you can have fewer worries about covering vet bills if your pet gets into an accident. Depending on the level of cover you choose, you can also get cover for illness and dental.

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