If you have a dog that is afraid of fireworks, you should start training months before things start to go bang to help him cope with it. There may be a good reason why you have not been able to do that, in that case you can read here what to do at the moment your dog is scared. But besides all that you may want to know more about medication (either regular or natural, whichever you prefer) you can use to help your dog cope during the difficult fireworks period (or during thunderstorms).

In the past many vets prescribed Vetranquil as medication for fear of fireworks. These days many vets fortunately switched to other medication. But sadly not every vet knows that Vetranquil is not the best medication to prescribe. Vetranquil is a muscle relaxant, which means that your dog cannot move properly and can’t get away. But he is still very scared! And he can’t run. Imagine that you are extremely scared of a spider that’s about a metre away and you can’t run. You would panic, right? That is the reason why in practice I often find that the fear of fireworks only became worse after the use of Vetranquil. Which isn’t strange…

Luckily there is an alternative and it is called alprazolam. It is a fear reducing drug that can be administered on the day itself or several days in advance. N.B.: There is an extended release version available that releases the substance over time. Little is known about the use of this in animals though, and the tablets of this version cannot be halved so it is harder to control the dosage. As there are many alternatives among the regular alprazolam tablets, it is better to ask your vet for a regular version of the medication. An alternative is diazepam but it mainly works as a tranquilizer and less as an anxiety relief agent. Consult your vet on this!

If you have reasons to not use regular medication you can use natural medication to support your dog. The most effect will be achieved if you start administering the medication in time (some four weeks in advance) and use medication that fits your dog’s personality and other characteristics. A naturopathic veterinarian can be a great help here!

Ready-made remedies that can be safely applied in case of fear of fireworks are: • Phytonics Stressz; • Bach Bloesem. Often Rescue is used, which is fine for incidental use but it’s better to have a remedy compiled specifically for your dog; • Thundershirt: a kind of T-shirt that fits the dog snugly and by doing so makes the dog more aware of his own body.

Do not start fiddling on your own with herbs and homeopathy. Contrary to what is often said, the saying “There’s no harm in trying,” does not apply here! The remedies mentioned above are safe but with others please consult an expert before trying.

When natural medication is a bit ‘wishy-washy’ for you but regular medication isn’t what you are looking for either then there are two alternatives. Namely Adaptil (used to be DAP) and Zylkene. Adaptil can be found as an electric atomiser, as a collar or as a spray. It dispenses synthetic pheromones that make the dog feel safer. They can be used very well during training. Zylkene is a dietary supplement that reduces stress and anxiety. Both products can be obtained from your vet.

It is important to realise with all the remedies mentioned above that they are just an aid! They are not miracle cures that make all fear disappear. The best results are gained when you combine them with training. Early training, so not just a week in advance.

This article was written by Monique Bladder, behavioural therapist for dogs. This article may not be copied without prior consent. Links to this article are allowed.