Felipe’s sister, Maria, has a passion for rescuing animals she encounters on the street, ensuring they receive vaccinations and sterilizations so they can be adopted into new homes. Among these rescues is two-year-old Coco, a dachshund Felipe plans to adopt permanently, and why she is in line at one of our vaccine clinics.

“Thank you so much for doing this for the community,” Felipe says. “It is very helpful. Even though we work, it is very hard financially to help them and get them shots and neutered or spayed. There are a lot of people who need this help. We really appreciate this support.”

By Cathy M. Rosenthal

Halloween may be a spooky holiday, but it’s the 4th of July that truly scares our pets. While every animal may panic and bolt at the sound of firecrackers or thunder, humane groups estimate that about 45% of dogs suffer from noise phobia.

If you’ve had dogs, the odds are you have encountered at least one noise-phobic dog. I’ve had two. These dogs didn’t just hide under a blanket until thunderstorms passed. They knocked over and climbed onto furniture, dug through the carpet to escape, tore things up, and trembled so severely that I feared they would collapse or have a heart attack. Dogs with the most severe symptoms can hurt themselves, so, as pet parents, we must develop a strategy to help them cope.

Like most pet owners, I did my best to ease my dogs’ suffering. Over the years, I learned that it’s not just one thing that helps but a combination of strategies. I medicated my dogs hours before a storm or firework event. I turned on a sound machine and played a high-volume action movie or music. I used a Thundershirt™ and an Anxiety Wrap™ simultaneously. During fireworks, I kept them indoors from dusk until after 1:30 a.m. so they wouldn’t be startled while trying to relieve themselves. I even moved their kennels into my walk-in closet and draped blankets over them to further muffle the noise. Despite all this, my dogs could still hear the thunder or fireworks, just not at full volume, which reduced their reactions.

Here are a few additional tips that might help manage dogs and cats with noise phobia:

• Create a safe space: Designate a safe, quiet area in your home where your pet can retreat during loud events. This could be a basement, a closet, or a room with soundproofing materials. Make it comfortable with their favorite bed, toys, and blankets.
• Introduce relation training: This involves using positive reinforcement to reward your dog for “chilling” during non-fireworks days.
• Sensitization and counterconditioning: Gradually expose your pet to recordings of the noise at a low volume and pair it with positive experiences, like treats and playtime. Gradually increase the volume over time as your pet becomes more comfortable. Be sure to give your puppy lots of treats while doing this to create a positive association with the noise.
• Routine and exercise: Maintain a regular routine to provide a sense of normalcy. Exercise your dog before a known noise event to help them expend nervous energy and be more relaxed.
• Calming products: Besides Thundershirts™, pet parents can also try plug-in pheromones or pheromone collars, over-the-counter herbal and homeopathic products, calming chews, or CBD oil (if recommended by a vet) to reduce anxiety.
• White noise machines: In addition to playing music or movies, consider using white noise machines or fans to help drown out the noise. Sitting with your dog or cat in a closet can also help since the clothes muffle the outdoor noise.
• Close windows and curtains: Reduce the intensity of outside noises by closing windows and drawing curtains. This can also block out visual stimuli such as fireworks flashes, which can add to your pet’s anxiety.
• Crate training: If your pet is crate trained, the crate can serve as a safe and secure place during loud events. Ensure the crate is in a quiet area and draped with a heavy blanket to muffle sounds.
• Medication: If your pet’s anxiety is severe, consult your veterinarian about prescription medications that can help manage their stress. Sileo, the first FDA-approved treatment specifically for noise-sensitive dogs, works by blocking norepinephrine, a brain chemical involved in the fight-or-flight response, calming anxiety without sedation. The gel product is administered between the gum and cheek and is absorbed quickly and provides relief within 30 to 60 minutes.

Cats can be just as noise-phobic as dogs, but their panicked behavior may be less noticeable. They tend to run away, hide, curl up tightly, or groom excessively—behaviors they do naturally but more so when anxious. Make sure noise-phobic cats have places to hide, like boxes and tunnels or even under the bed. You can use feline pheromones and over-the-counter products specifically for calming cats as well. Using the same counterconditioning techniques you can ensure kittens are exposed to a variety of sounds, so they’re not as fearful as adults.

By combining these strategies, you can help your pets feel safer and more comfortable during the fireworks holiday, reducing their anxiety and preventing them from harming themselves.

Send your pet tips, stories and questions to cathy@petpundit.com. You can read her blog, Animals Matter, at http://blog.mysanantonio.com/animals/. Cathy is the author of several children’s books

Do you know what to do the first 24 hours after your pet goes missing?

Fireworks, picnics and other Fourth of July traditions can be great fun for people; but all of the festivities can be frightening and even dangerous for animals. Noisy fireworks and other celebrations can startle animals and cause them to run away; holiday foods can be unhealthy; summer heat and travel can be dangerous; and potentially dangerous debris can end up lying on the ground where pets can eat or play with it.

The AVMA offers tips to keep your pet safe during the holiday weekend.

1. Leave your pets at home when you go to parties, fireworks displays, parades and other gatherings. Loud fireworks, unfamiliar places and crowds can all be very frightening to pets, and there’s great risk of pets becoming spooked and running away.

2. Consider putting your pets in a safe, escape-proof room or crate during parties and fireworks.

3. If you’re hosting guests, ask them to help keep an eye on your pets to make sure they don’t escape. Placing notes on exit doors and gates can help both you and your guests remain vigilant.

4. Keep your pets inside if you or your neighbors are setting off fireworks.

5. Keep sparklers, glow sticks, fireworks, charcoal and kabob skewers away from curious pets.

6. Don’t let pets get near your barbecue grill while it is in use or still hot.

7. Avoid the urge to feed your pets table scraps or other foods intended for people. Be especially careful to keep them away from these common foods that are actually toxic.

8. Remember that too much sun and heat (and humidity!) can be dangerous to pets. Keep them inside when it’s extremely hot/humid; make sure they have access to shady spots and plenty of water when outdoors; don’t leave them outside for extended periods in hot weather; and know the signs that a pet may be overheating.

9. Never leave your pet in your car when it’s warm outside. Vehicle interiors heat up much faster than the air around them, and even a short time in a locked car can be dangerous to pets.

10. If you’re travelling out of town for the holiday, consider leaving your pets at home with a pet sitter or boarding them in a kennel. If you need to bring them with you, be sure you know how to keep them safe.

11. Follow safe food handling and hygiene practices to protect your family and guests.

Read more from AVMA

1 in every 3 pets will go missing in their lifetime, and if you think it can’t happen to you, think again. If a pet you know or love is missing, a microchip can help simplify your search to bring them home.

Q: What is a microchip?

A: A microchip is a small, electronic chip enclosed in a glass cylinder that is about the same size as a grain of rice. The microchip itself does not have a battery—it is activated by a scanner that is passed over the area, and the radio waves put out by the scanner activate the chip. The chip transmits the identification number to the scanner, which displays the number on the screen. The microchip itself is also called a transponder.

Q: How is a microchip implanted into an animal? Is it painful? Does it require surgery or anesthesia?

A: It is injected under the skin using a hypodermic needle. It is no more painful than a typical injection, although the needle is slightly larger than those used for injection. No surgery or anesthesia is required—a microchip can be implanted during a routine veterinary office visit. If your pet is already undergoing anesthesia for a procedure, such as neutering or spaying, the microchip often can be implanted while they’re still under anesthesia.

Q: What kind of information is contained in the microchip? Is there a tracking device in it? Will it store my pet’s medical information?

A: The microchips presently used in pets only contain identification numbers. The microchip is not a GPS device and cannot track your animal if it gets lost. Although the microchip itself does not contain your pet’s medical information, some microchip registration databases will allow you to store that information in the database for quick reference.

Q: Should I be concerned about my privacy if my pet is microchipped? Will someone be able to track me down?

A: No. You don’t need to be concerned about your privacy. The information you provide to the manufacturer’s microchip registry will be used to contact you in the event your pet is found and its microchip is scanned. In most cases, you can choose to opt in or opt out of other communications (such as newsletters or advertisements) from the manufacturer. The only information about you ]in the database is the information that you choose to provide when you register the chip or update your information. There are protections in place so that a random person can’t just look up an owner’s identification.

Remember that having the microchip placed is only the first step, and the microchip must be registered in order to give you the best chances of getting your pet back. If that information is missing or incorrect, your chances of getting your pet back are dramatically reduced.

More pets go missing on the 4th of July weekend than any other day of the year. Petco Love Lost has tips on keeping your pet safe during the holiday weekend.

1. Prepare a week in advance.
Provide a safe place with toys and a comfortable bed. Consider taking earlier walks before it gets dark.

2. Keep your pets secured.
When panicked by fireworks, dogs and cats tend to run and hide. Turn on a radio or the tv to drown the noise of the fireworks.

3. Check your yard.
Make sure your yard fence is sturdy with no loose boards.

4. Make sure your pets microchip is up to date.

5. Register your pet on Petco Love Lost.
Upload your pet’s photo to Petco Love Lost’s free national lost and found database. If your pet goes missing, one click will allow you to quickly search thousands of found pets using patented pet facial recognition technology.

Read more from Petco Love Lost

With litters of kittens needing some extra love until they’re ready for adoption or for dogs who could use a change of scenery, foster care is the ideal place to house homeless pets. Fostering for a short time can save a life and reduce shelter intake and euthanasia. Learn more about fostering from Petco Love

Did you know Spay Neuter Network provides more than spays, neuters and vaccines?

Pet Support and Resource Center: Providing a safety net for families who want to keep their pets but may need a little help to do so. Learn More…

Pet Resources: Our Pet Resource guide is a community network of organizations to help pet owners find access to free and affordable medication, pet care, fosters, pet food and more. Learn More…

An estimated 10 million pets go missing every year and microchips greatly increase the chances that pets will be reunited with their families if they are lost or stolen.

Q: What is a microchip?

A: A microchip is a small, electronic chip enclosed in a glass cylinder that is about the same size as a grain of rice. The microchip itself does not have a battery—it is activated by a scanner that is passed over the area, and the radio waves put out by the scanner activate the chip. The chip transmits the identification number to the scanner, which displays the number on the screen. The microchip itself is also called a transponder.

Q: How is a microchip implanted into an animal? Is it painful? Does it require surgery or anesthesia?

A: It is injected under the skin using a hypodermic needle. It is no more painful than a typical injection, although the needle is slightly larger than those used for injection. No surgery or anesthesia is required—a microchip can be implanted during a routine veterinary office visit. If your pet is already undergoing anesthesia for a procedure, such as neutering or spaying, the microchip often can be implanted while they’re still under anesthesia.

Q: What kind of information is contained in the microchip? Is there a tracking device in it? Will it store my pet’s medical information?

A: The microchips presently used in pets only contain identification numbers. The microchip is not a GPS device and cannot track your animal if it gets lost. Although the microchip itself does not contain your pet’s medical information, some microchip registration databases will allow you to store that information in the database for quick reference.

Q: Should I be concerned about my privacy if my pet is microchipped? Will someone be able to track me down?

A: No. You don’t need to be concerned about your privacy. The information you provide to the manufacturer’s microchip registry will be used to contact you in the event your pet is found and its microchip is scanned. In most cases, you can choose to opt in or opt out of other communications (such as newsletters or advertisements) from the manufacturer. The only information about you ]in the database is the information that you choose to provide when you register the chip or update your information. There are protections in place so that a random person can’t just look up an owner’s identification.

Remember that having the microchip placed is only the first step, and the microchip must be registered in order to give you the best chances of getting your pet back. If that information is missing or incorrect, your chances of getting your pet back are dramatically reduced.

Why should you chip your pet?

Estrella was brought in by a trapper to be spayed. While getting her ready for surgery, one of our vet techs noticed she had already been spayed so, she scanned her for a microchip – which she had. We were able to contact her owner who had been looking for her for over a week. Estrella’s owner was so excited to get her back.

Make sure you microchip your pet so you can find them if they get lost.

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