General Chat

A visit to the Vets this morning for advice.

Hi Everyone

First of all I would like to apologize to all who were participating on Kays Firework thread last evening.

Unfortunately whilst I was chatting on the thread Sally our dog went into a bit of a panic frenzy. As more and more fireworks went off Sally became more and more stressed.

Today I decided to visit our local vet to ask for more advice on this.

They say that generally, If the animal is still eating, then to try and give quite a heavy carbohydrate meal a few hours before the stress/fireworks takes place. A full stomach makes the animal sleepier, try the closed curtains turn the sound up and let the animal find its own space to settle in.

If your animal does become hyperactive then there are a couple of reccomended products that they advise on.

These are as follows

Dorwest Herbs, Scullcap and Valerium Tablets. Available from your local vets or pet shops

These are obviously very popular as Dorwest Herbs direct order site is currently out of stock. You can read about these here

http://www.dorwest.com/prodinfo.asp?number=SV

The vet also reccommends D.A.P known as Dog Appeasing Pheromone which is something that is released by lactating female dogs when they have puppies. It keeps the puppies calm.

You can read about this here


http://www.vetuk.co.uk/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=149_2

Unfortunately poor Sally became so agitated last evening her fear led her to snap and she growled and tried to bite Hayley the wife, because she had become so bad they have decided to place her on some tranquilizers today. The vet prescribed Diazapam 5 mg for the next five days.

Hopefully Sally will be calmer today and especially in the days of the fireworks ahead.

Colin

im very lucky the fireworks dont bother my dog he went out for a walk last night there was loads going of in my area


feel sorry for his brother he hates them my mate has him she seid he was under the bed poor thing

Oh Colin, I do hope Sally is calmer now. There is nothing worse than watching a petrified animal, I know.

Love

Daff xxx

They say not to make a fuss about the noise.
The animals pick up on you looking worried about them, if you know what I mean .

My son thought I was nuts yesterday as I left a radio on in the kitchen for my cat to listen to lol
We were going to be away till late at night and I thought she might not hear the bangs so much.

Family are now convinced I am cracking up lol.

Marion

Hi G.G, Christine and Ann :)

G.G. Its good to hear that your dog remains calm, not so good for his brother though, poor thing., I cannot wait for the fireworks to end this year. Our Sally was ok until this year, even went out in the garden last year. I am sure she is missing our older dog more then we know.

C.C. The fireworks seemed to go on and on last night here to. Bigger and bigger bangs, just when we thought it was ending another started up. The poor animals just do not know what is going on. You must have been worried about your poor cat, im glad you found her indoors.

Ann I have never seen Sally be so frightened, poor mites heart was pounding almost out of her chest, she just didnt know which way to turn. Sally is resting at the moment, sat by me again under the computer :):)

Colin

Hi Marion :)

Thats very true, not you being mad lol but the picking up on our stress.

If you are mad then Im mad to, i leave the tele on so the dog can watch it when were out lol

Colin :):)

hope sallys felling a bit better 2day

what sort of dog is sally

she could be missing your other dog like you said more than you think
xxx

Thanks Colin,

Well, Diazepam is the same as valium I think, so maybe a tiny piece of one of mine (they are 2mg) will be OK for my JRT if he stresses again tonight.

Don't know what breed your Sally is, but Eddie is only little and don't want to overdose him with 5mg!

It's either that or pray for rain, rain and more rain!

I am suffering badly at the moment with post-chemo side effects and don't think I can stand another terrible night like last night xxxx

Dee
x

Colin, that's awful, it takes a lot for a well behaved dog to try to bite the hand that feeds it, Sally must have been petrified - and I expect Hayley was a little nervous after Sally's snap!ll

I was in all last evening with the cats, I had all the blinds and windows shut, lights on, radios in every room, TV up loud (wellI couldn't hear it above the bangs), yet they were still scared. I even tried singing to calm them down - but their eyes grew bigger LOL

I have been invited to a fireworks display tonight, but daren't risk it. One thing the cat's probably sensed, that I didn't was how close to the house the fireworks were exploding - I found a bit of one - hard plastic tube - on my back doorstep this morning, and rocket sticks on the patio!!

Tonight I am going to put a box in the cupboard under the stairs and hope they stay together - last night they were too agitaged to stay together. One would try to snuggle up to another and the first would walk off - like they were too concerned with their own fear.

No point in feeding them - they ate nothing last night, but made up for it this morning.

Hope Sally is better tonight.

maggie

Hi GG & Dee :):):)

Sally is Staffordshire Bull Terrier ( Devil Dog so some say :):):) She is the softest thing you might find :):)



Dee :):):) Rain is a good thought :):) Might have to send up some thoughts for that myself :):)
Sorry to hear the side effects are really bad for you, you have been through a heck of a lot yourself this year without all of this. Praying that light shines brighter and brighter and you feel much better again soon. You are in my thoughts.

I wish they would ban them. Or at least for public sales and keep it to one night only.

I wonder how many will be hurt this year.

I know a lady who used to take her dog to the local firework display, she got a lot of strange looks etc but the dog didn't bother in the slightest.

Marion

Hi Maggie :):)

Believe me Hayley can growl back :):) Sorry Hayley, I think Im asking for a thick ear saying that lol Looks over my shoulder lol In truth though I dont know who was more shocked when Sally snapped as it is so unusual for her to be anything other then very welcoming and want to kiss everyone. I have never heard you sing yet lol but something to think about when we next meet see if my eyes go bigger :):)

Ever had burst eardrums Colin??? :o)

I was hoping to temorarily deafen the poor cats. LOL

colin i have a staffy aswell hes a big baby his names toby hes white and brindle

devil dogs indeed its only what people have done to them the wrong people have them

thay dont now how to treat them

hes my 1st staff but hes my hubbys 3rd staff so we have one for the bread not to look big like some of the idiots out there

Hi Marion :):)

I agree with you, I think we are going the wrong way with the way fireworks are at the moment. There was a time a few years ago when they started to become less and less but now its reversed and they are not only becoming bigger but louder with it. Something needs to be done.

Your friends dog must have been brought up where it has come accustomed to the loud noises, they say if you show a dog that there is nothing to fear at the young age it has less effect later on to.

Hi Colin
She must have been really frightened I have been so lucky up to now I've got a little staffi she's only 5 1/2 months old and up to now it doesn't seem to have frightened her.
Thanks for the information very interesting I hope Sally is going to be all right still got to more nights of it.
Take care
Lynne

Maggie LOL :):):) I think the next meet will be on a foggy day in portsmouth harbour so the fog horns now drown it out for me lol

G.G :):)

I agree Staffs are a lovely breed, so affectionate in the right hands. Our old dog Amber we had for 13 years, I miss her to bits to

i bet you do miss her

had a xbreed she died 9yrs ago i still miss her

staffs are so good with kids, my hubbys other 2 staffs both died at the ages of 15

Hi Lynne :):)

They are so lovely arnt they :) 5 and half months , still a puppy then, its good to hear that the fireworks are not affecting her to much. Hopefully she will grow to accept they are nothing to fear to. :):)