Are you and your pet ready for the Fourth of July? It’s one of the most hazardous holidays of the year for our animal friends! Fortunately, it’s not hard to keep your pet safe—use these tips from an East Indianapolis, IN veterinarian:

It can be tempting to bring your dog along to the local fireworks display, but it’s best to reconsider. Dogs, or just about any other sort of pet for that matter, don’t tend to enjoy the ear-splitting booms and brilliant flashes of professional fireworks! In fact, more pets run away on the evening of July Fourth than on any other night of the year. Save yourself the trouble of a lost pet and keep your animal friend safely secured at home.

If you plan on lighting off firecrackers or sparklers in your yard or driveway this year, keep your pet at a safe distance. Not only can smaller pyrotechnics startle pets into running off, but they can burn a pet who gets too close. It’s also possible for pets to chew on unlit fireworks, potentially ingesting harmful chemicals like arsenic!

All sorts of common picnic and party foods—salty foods like chips and pretzels, onions, garlic, chives, leeks, scallions, shallots, grapes and raisins, chocolate, candy, avocado, certain nuts, and much more—aren’t safe for our four-legged friends. Keep your pet away from the food table to make sure they don’t try to chow down on anything they shouldn’t.

If your July Fourth celebration will include adult beverages, make sure to keep your pet far away. Alcohol, as it turns out, affects pets just like it affects humans—your pet will get “drunk” if they consume alcoholic beverages! However, it only takes a very small amount to cause deadly poisoning. Keep a close eye on all alcoholic drinks, and never give your pet alcohol on purpose; this goes for beer, liquor, wine, and champagne.

With the Fourth comes hot and humid weather. Make sure to allow your pet indoors frequently to cool off, and offer a bowl of cool, fresh water to drink from at all times. These simple steps will go a long way toward avoiding dangerous dehydration and heat exhaustion!

Would you like even more great tips for keeping your pet safe this Independence Day? We’re here for you. Contact your East Indianapolis, IN animal clinic today.