Diwali, the festival of lights, is one of the most looked forward to and celebrated festivals throughout the country. The preparations and celebrations are done with great fervor and zeal.
However, it might not be as thrilling for some of our furry babies. Every year thousands of animals and birds are left anxious and terrified by the noise caused by the firecrackers. Pet owners are already aware of how even their happy-go-lucky pets turn timid, uneasy and are reduced to cowering and hiding under the bed.
For all of you guys wanting to help improve or aid the situation, we have compiled everything that you can easily do to make Diwali happier and safer for all your furry friends!
- Desensitizing your pet to the noise
Desensitization is the process of getting a pet gradually used to a particular noise, sight or experience. Helping your pet overcome the fear of a noise requires that you gradually expose it to that noise in a mild form that is less intimidating. Recognize your pet’s triggers. You can play videos of fireworks, on your phone at a lower volume. Then, slowly increase the volume to the point that your dog isn’t exhibiting fearful behaviors but tolerating the noise. Give your pets treats to calm them down and speak to them soothingly. Let them know that this will pass, and everything will be okay. Reward them for good behaviour
- Use positive sounds as a distraction
If you haven’t done noise conditioning yet, or are unable to do so due to the time limit until the festival, you can instead try distracting your pet with positive sounds .Close the doors and windows and try to reduce the noise of the outside environment as much as possible. Studies suggest that calm classical music can help relieve your pet’s anxiety. Turn up the music to a comfortable volume, so that it drowns out the noises outside, but not so loud that could be stressful for your pets. If your pet has a favorite show, you can put it on and let them watch till the loud celebrations have reached their tail end for the night.
Fun fact! Some studies even suggest that the Star Wars soundtrack (fans, rejoice!) helps in getting your pet desensitized to noises. May the force be with our furry babies!
- Confining your pet
Many of our pets have a safe hiding place that they seek when frightened. For some, a crate can provide a feeling of safety and security. Create a comfortable space with blankets and toys. However, if your pet has not grown up using a crate, and is not comfortable with it, do not try this method, as they may injure themselves trying to get out of it. Instead, keep your pet in a room that they are most comfortable in, where they won’t hurt themselves or ruin your belongings.
If they are trying to isolate themselves by hiding under the bed or in the washroom, let them. Don’t force them to come out.
Close all the doors, windows and pull the curtains to minimize the sound and light. Stay with them and make them feel safe!
You can also look into getting a set of noise cancelling headset for you baby to help with drowning out the loud noises!
- Exercise your Pet/ Distract them
Exercise produces endorphins in the brain, which acts as a stress buster for our pet. Get your dog outside for walks more than regular. Schedule it before the fireworks begin. Play with them and engage them into activities.
If your household is ruled by a feline, keep them up and running with laser pointers or feather toys. Play with them more often than usual and keep engrossed.
Hopefully, they will be too tired to get very stressed out just in time for the festivities to get crackin’! 😉
You can also distract them during the festivities are on. Use their favorite toys and try to get their mind off the sounds.
- Calming Therapies for Pets
Aroma therapy is found to be useful in reducing stress and anxiety to a considerable level. Lavender oil can be used for dogs to reduce car anxiety. Make sure the oil has the name Lavendula augustifolia or Lavendula officinalis. You can either apply a little to the skin or let your dog smell it. You can also spray it on your dog’s blanket.
ProQuiet is a tryptophan formula, available in chewable tablets or syrup forms. It can help your cats and dogs calm down. Canine and feline pheromone sprays can help the mildly affected.
Feliway is a synthetic copy of the pheromones that cats use to mark their territory. It can be used as a plug-in room diffuser or a spray.
- Talk to your Veterinarian
If your doctor is familiar with your pet’s condition, they will write an anti-anxiety prescription for your pet. However, it is important for you to inform your vet about the anxiety beforehand. Most vets will not call in a last minute prescription for a pet they have not diagnosed with noise anxiety before.
- Leave the Neighborhood for the Night
If you’re sure that none of these tips work for your pet’s severe anxiety, and you have friends or family that stay in a relatively silent area, pack your suitcase, the travel crate and any other things that you might need for the night and hightail to the quieter neck of the city.
If none of these options are convenient for you, you can find out an out of the way pet friendly hotel to stay in for the night.
And most importantly,
- Don’t Hold Back on Comforting your Pet
Forget everything you’ve heard about ignoring your pet’s anxiety or fear of encouraging it with attention. Pets are in many ways very similar to us. Imagine how you would feel if treated that way when you were feeling high levels of anxiety. Being comforted by a loved one would make it much better, wouldn’t it?
The best thing you can do to comfort a pet under an anxiety attack is to hold them close. Give them treats when they are being calm. Some pets may learn from this that they are safe as long as you are near them and may stop being as clingy. But remember, that pets, like us, can be high strung and may always need to be comforted during these events.
And finally, do not forget to bestow a lot of hugs and kisses and make Diwali a little safer and enjoyable for everyone! We wish you a very happy and prosperous diwali! ❤
VetQuest 