July Fourth is a festive time full of outdoor activities, fireworks, and delicious foods. However, you must keep in mind that the celebrations can pose potential dangers to your furry friend. Keep your pet safe and comfortable during the commotion by taking precautions to protect them from potential hazards. Our Red Oak Animal Hospital team shares safety tips to help ensure your pet’s wellbeing during the July Fourth celebrations.

#1: Keep your pet indoors during fireworks

While your pet can safely join you for some outdoor July Fourth festivities, most pets prefer to avoid the fireworks displays. Fireworks can be harmful to pets for multiple reasons, including:

  • Fear and anxiety — Fireworks produce loud and sudden noises that can startle and scare pets, causing them to panic and run away. If your pet is outside during fireworks, they may become disoriented and run into traffic or become lost.
  • Injury — Fireworks heat quickly and embers and sparkler wires stay hot a long while. A curious pet may sniff or attempt to ingest lit firecrackers and their detritus, resulting in severe burns to the face, mouth, or paws. In addition, a pet may injure themselves in an attempt to escape from fireworks’ loud noises. Your panicked pet may jump a fence, break through a window, or injure themselves trying to squeeze through a tight space.
  • Toxicity — Unlit fireworks can still pose a threat to your pet. Prevent your pet from ingesting any fireworks, because they contain harmful, potentially lethal, chemicals

#2: Help your pet beat the heat

July is a hot month in most parts of the United States, and keeping your pet cool is essential to preventing heat exhaustion, dehydration, and other heat-related illnesses. Help your pet beat the July Fourth heat by following these tips:

  • Provide plenty of water – Ensure that your pet has access to clean, fresh water at all times. If your pet will be joining you on an outing, bring a portable water bowl and a bottle filled with cool, fresh water to help keep your pet hydrated.
  • Keep them indoors — Keep your pet indoors during the hottest part of the day, preferably in an air-conditioned room. Exercise your pet during the cooler parts of the day, such as early morning or late evening. If your pet must be outside, ensure they have access to a shaded area.
  • Avoid hot surfaces — Avoid walking your pet on a hot surface, such as asphalt or concrete, because these can burn their paws. Walk your pet on grass or shaded paths that do not absorb intense heat.
  • Provide cooling aids — Place a damp towel or cooling mat in a shaded area on which your pet can lie. You can also use a fan or air conditioner to keep the air cool.

#3: Protect your pet around water

Many people enjoy celebrating July Fourth at the pool or lake. While taking a dip is a great way to stay cool, ensure you keep your pet safe around water by following these tips:

  • Supervise your pet — Whether at the pool, lake, or ocean, never leave your pet unsupervised, regardless of their swimming ability. 
  • Use a life jacket — Fit your pet with a life jacket to keep them safe in case they  accidentally fall in the water.
  • Secure your pool — Install a fence or barrier around your pool to prevent your pet from accidentally falling in. You can also use a pool alarm to alert you if your pet falls in.
  • Know your pet’s limits — Not all pets are good swimmers or comfortable in the water. Know your pet’s limits and don’t push them beyond their comfort level.
  • Rinse off your pet — After swimming in a pool, lake, or ocean rinse off your pet with fresh water to remove chlorine, bacteria, or salt.

#4: Ensure your pet is microchipped

If your pet gets lost on July Fourth, they will need proper identification so that authorities can help return them to you. Collars and identification (ID) tags are helpful, but they can fall off. However, an embedded microchip provides permanent identification. A microchip is a tiny electronic device that our Red Oak Animal Hospital team can implant under your pet’s skin, typically between their shoulder blades. The microchip contains a unique identification number that is linked to your contact information in a database. If your pet is lost, an animal shelter or veterinarian that finds them can scan the microchip and use the identification number to retrieve your contact information, helping reunite you with your pet.

#5: Avoid sharing food with your pet

July Fourth is a festive time when many people enjoy celebratory foods. However, you should always keep in mind that pets can become ill if they eat many of these traditional July Fourth snacks and dishes:

  • Fatty foods — Ribs, burgers, and hot dogs can be high in fat and cause your pet to experience gastrointestinal (GI) upset. In addition, meat and poultry bones can splinter and cause digestive tract problems.
  • Alcohol — Alcohol can cause intoxication and, in severe cases, lead to a pet’s coma or death.
  • Chocolate — Chocolate contains theobromine, which is toxic to dogs and cats. Even in a small amount, chocolate can cause a pet to vomit, and have diarrhea and seizures.
  • Sugar substitutes — Sweets and desserts, such as cakes, cookies, and candies, can cause a pet to experience digestive upset. Desserts that contain the sugar substitute xylitol are especially toxic to your pet.
  • Corn on the cob — If your pet swallows a corncob, they can choke or develop an intestinal obstruction.
  • Grapes and raisins — Grapes and raisins can cause a dog to develop kidney failure
  • Onions and garlic — Onions and garlic can cause anemia in pets. If your furry pal eats a large amount of these alliums, they can develop toxicity.

Rather than sharing your festive foods with your pet, give them their own special treats such as frozen berries or frozen chicken broth cubes. These cool treats are a tasty way to keep your pet cool and hydrated, and will distract them while you’re eating foods your furry pal should avoid. 

By following these tips, you can help minimize your pet’s anxiety and keep them safe, while enjoying a stress-free July Fourth together. Ensure your pet is microchipped before the fireworks start by scheduling this quick and easy procedure with our Red Oak Animal Hospital team.