It’s important to be extra careful with your dog this weekend as you celebrate the 4th of July holiday. Unfortunately, this weekend is one of our busiest times at Town & Country Veterinary Clinic. Our expert staff wants all pet owners to keep these things in mind as they celebrate the holiday:

• Trips to the Park
  With so many people and pets enjoying limited spaces, it’s important to keep control of them, either by leash or command. Keep a close eye on your dogs, and keep them within view at all times. Sniffing is an acceptable activity, but don’t allow them to eat or drink anything in a public area.
• Fireworks Noise
  Explosions are extremely frightening for house pets. Keep pets inside in a quiet, dark area with limited access to windows or other potential hazards. A radio or fan can provide soothing background noise to drown out the sound of fireworks outside. If you know that your pet’s nerves become extremely frazzled during this holiday, contact your veterinarian ahead of time to see if he or she recommends sedating them. Make sure your pets have proper identification in the form of ID tags or microchips, so if they escape, you can be quickly contacted when they are found.
• Fireworks Ingestion
  Fireworks in shiny packages can look like an appetizing snack and, if eaten, can be poisonous to animals. And although the risk is usually small, animals can be burned from falling fireworks and sparklers. Keep both used and unused fireworks away from pets.
• Holiday Food
  It may be tempting to allow pets to snack alongside you at your 4th of July picnic, but “holiday food” can wreak havoc on a dog’s system. Keep fatty, sugary foods and alcoholic drinks away from prying noses.