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Calming Aids for the Fourth of July

Posted by Michelle for PetTest, AAHA Certified Diabetes Educator on Jun 25th 2021

Calming Aids for the Fourth of July

Calming Aids for the Fourth of July

The 4 th of July is quickly approaching so I want to talk about some things to help your pup through this explosive holiday in the USA!

My diabetic gal Lucy was never afraid of fireworks or loud noises until later in life but my nondiabetic Frank has always been terrified by fireworks and thunderstorms. When I started giving them calming aids I looked for diabetic safe products. As I have mentioned in past posts, any products that are labeled as “chewable” have brewers’ yeast and/or flours in them that may raise blood glucose levels, so you need to weigh the pros and cons of chews. For Lucy the benefit outweighed the risk of a BG spike.

Here are symptoms of anxiety:

  • Pacing
  • Restlessness
  • Depression
  • Lack of appetite
  • Drooling
  • Panting
  • Bathroom accidents in the house
  • Compulsive, repetitive behavior
  • Aggression
  • Destructive behavior

Stress affects blood glucose levels whether it is good or bad stress. We can see blood glucose levels drop or raise, so make sure you know how your dog reacts to stressful events. If your dog drops lower when stressed make sure you have hypoglycemia products on hand. If your dog’s blood glucose levels are raised when stressed, make sure your pup has plenty of water available, extra potty breaks may be necessary and test for ketones in urine if BG is over 300 mg/dL (16.6 mmol/L).

There are calming aids that you can buy without prescription. Here are several that I have used in the past that help reduce stress.

Bach’s Rescue Remedy Pet – this is a liquid herbal remedy that can be given multiple times per day.

Vetriscience Composure Bite Sized Chews – soft chews available in different flavors and sizes, can be given multiple times per day.

Adaptil Calm Home Diffuser – a plug in diffuser that releases pheromones that mimic mother’s nursing pheromones.

Thundershirt – like swaddling an infant, these Thundershirts use gentle compression to help ease anxiety.

CBD Oil – for some dogs CBD can help with anxiety. There is none to negligeable THC content in CBD products for dogs and it must be given two hours away from other medications given since the liver is what processes CBD and many other medications.

If your dog suffers from severe anxiety, you can get a prescription for anxiety medication for your dog. Two Rx medications often given to dogs are trazodone and Xanax. I just went a picked-up a prescription for Frank and will test it out before the Fourth of July to see how he does on this medication. Please do not give your dog prescription medications that are not prescribed to your dog, you must consult with your vet!

When there are fireworks going off, I turn on loud music or the television along with white noise to help block out external sounds as much as possible. Frank also feels most comfortable in the bathroom or the hallway, so he has constant access to his “safe space.”

If you have an anxious dog the time to purchase calming aids is now, the Fourth of July celebration for us Americans is just around the corner and you need to be prepared.

I hope you have a fabulous balance of the week, and I hope this upcoming holiday is nothing but fun for you and your pups!

I also want to mention the explosive sale and grand prize contest that PetTest is currently having for the Fourth of July. For each purchase made now until July 4, 2021 you will be entered for a chance to win a year’s worth of supplies!

Fourth of July Grand Prize mtm

If you are looking for a Facebook community to join for support, I have been an admin in Diabetic Dog Owners for four and a half years. You can also join Canine Diabetes Support and Information on Facebook as well.

Be sure to join the PetTest family on Facebook and Instagram. PetTest has fun, interactive posts AND they have fabulous giveaways every week!

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