Happy 4th of July – Independence Day
America’s celebration day is quickly approaching so I wanted to remind everyone that now is the time to get those anxiety supplements and meds!
I was lucky that Lucy our diabetic dog was unaffected by fireworks and thunderstorms but Frank was terrified of them and now our little Hannah is as well. And while I love firework shows I end up in the bedroom with music and white noise on to help Hannah. She also gets supplements, has hiding spots she prefers and I am going to give her trazadone this year.
What are symptoms of anxiety/stress? Most of us know what they are but here you go:
- Shaking
- Pacing
- Restlessness
- Depression
- Lack of appetite
- Drooling
- Panting
- Potty accidents
- Compulsive, repetitive behavior
- Aggression
- Destructive behavior
- Crying/whining
- Hyperglycemia
- Hypoglycemia
We can see blood glucose levels drop or rise with stress/anxiety, 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).
What can I give my diabetic dog for stress/anxiety?
There are calming aids, compression clothing, diffusers and collars that you can purchase at most pet stores, Chewy and Amazon. Below is a graphic with some options that are diabetic safe.
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. Please do not give your dog prescription medications that are not prescribed to your dog, you must consult with your vet. Some dogs do well with trazadone and some don’t so it is best to test run the meds before the big celebration.
Keeping them in a safe space with music or white noise to drown out fireworks helps as well. Studies have shown that classical music is soothing for dogs so I have two playlists for Hannah…one is classical music and the other is classic rock (like yacht rock) that I put on for her in the bedroom. The AC and fan are turned on to help keep her cool and she feels safe hiding under the bed. The other thing that I do with Hannah is close the curtains. When fireworks are going off if she can look out a window she sits there shaking waiting for another dreaded explosion.
If your dog is a runner make sure they have their ID tags on and if you don’t have an ID tag you can write your name, phone number and dog’s name on their tummy with a permanent marker. This may sound extreme but shelters are overcrowded after the Fourth of July with scared pets that have run away.
I hope that everyone, two-legged and four have a safe and happy 4th of July!
Until next week stay comfy, don’t stress and you got this!
Michelle Miller-Matlock
AAHA Certified Diabetes Educator
Founder/Administrator of DDO: Diabetic Dog Owners University
Administrator of Diabetic Dog Owners on Facebook
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