Protect Your Dog from Common 4th of July Emergencies

Happy Fourth of July to you! I was talking to a couple of emergency room vets that I've been spending time with and we discussed common Forth of July emergencies and calls. We came up with some recommendations to help prevent your dog from a visit or call to the clinic this holiday weekend. Hands down, the most common emergency call is from owners with dogs that are terrified. The combination of loud noises, people, firecrackers and lights can scare dogs that don't normally have a history of noise phobias. For tips on how to deal with a dog afraid of loud noises - go to "Fear of Thunder, Sounds or Loud Noises in Dogs". Second, some dogs get injured or burned by fireworks. Don't allow anyone to direct fireworks towards a dog. Keep your dog away from anyone setting off fireworks. Keep your dog on a leash where you have total control of his actions. Third, eye injuries. Again - the injuries are often from the combination of dogs being curious and fireworks injuring dogs. Again, keep your dog on a leash and away from the fireworks. Lastly, another common emergency call is due to dogs getting into things associated with the festivities. This includes gastrointestinal upset from eating food they are not used to, getting into the trash, or even objects laying around that they chew on and ingest. One favorite of dogs is corn on the cob. The corncob commonly can become lodged in the gastrointestinal tract requiring emergency surgery. And by the way - the 4th of July weekend is one of the busiest holidays for emergency veterinarians. The average emergency transaction costs over $165.00 in many clinics (and that is for a pet with a very insignificant problem). If this is a difficult expense, consider pet insurance. Pet insurance can help you pay for medical care when your pet is ill or injured. Find out if it is right for you. Go to: petinsurance.com. for more information or to get a free quote. Whatever you do this holiday - please keep your dog safe. Until next time... Dr. Jon P.S. For many people, pet insurance is a great way to feel that they can do the best for their pet when an emergency or illness occurs. Many pet owners that I see feel a weight has been lifted from their shoulders because their decisions about what they do for their pets is based on what is truly best - no based on money. For more information on pet insurance, go to petinsurance.com.