I used to love fireworks, but the effect they had on our youngest dog made them a complete nightmare in our house. We used to dread November. While our cat and older dog weren’t bothered in the slightest, Barney would shake and pace around constantly, and even vomit. Finding a way to help him was one of the reasons I became interested in homeopathy. And I’m grateful homeopathy helped him snooze his way through November evenings, just like every other month! 

We’ve written a guide to some useful remedies for pets with a fear of fireworks. I hope it will help you find an appropriate remedy for your pet. If you aren’t sure, Triple A would be a great remedy, and give it to your pet before fireworks start. It’s in Helios’ and Ainsworths’ Pet Remedy Kits or you can order it from the pharmacies. 30c is a good choice and it’s in the kits. I used 200c for Barney because his anxiety was very high. I put remedies directly into Barney’s mouth, but for my other pets I have to put them in a treat.

Homeopathy is holistic, and the remedy chosen would match how they react to the fear and other aspects of their temperaments. Here’s how you can start:

Observe your pet

  • Watch them closely during the fireworks, and notice their fear reactions, any specific behaviours and physical symptoms.
  • How does your pet behave before and after fireworks as well as during them?

What does their fear of fireworks look like?

  • Do they tremble, pace, pant or try to hide?
  • Does your pet become restless, anxious or clingy?
  • Do they become aggressive or territorial?
  • How do they react to sudden loud noises?

Are there physical symptoms?

  • Make a note of any physical symptoms that happen when they’re afraid or stressed.Does your pet have vomiting or diarrhoea?
  • Do they have any skin problems or changes in appetite? Notice everything that’s different to usual – are they having little drinks of water or a lot?

What’s their usual temperament?

  • Is your pet hyperactive, restless, impulsive?
  • Or timid and shy?
  • Are they bossy and dominant?

Take a look at our ‘useful remedies’ guide and try to match what you see to the remedies. 

Understanding your pet can help identify the right remedy for fireworks and also what other remedies they might need to improve their overall health. Contact us if you’d like some suggestions on books to read to learn more about this. 

There’s a huge interest from pet owners to know more about taking care of their pets naturally. In response to this demand, a Foundation Course in Pet Homeopathy, taught by a holistic vet with 30 years’ experience has been launched. Whole Health Agriculture does incredible work educating farmers to improve animal health while reducing antibiotics and pesticides, and this pet course sounds fantastic. Of course, I take my pets to our vet (who is amazing) whenever they need to go, but there’s a lot that homeopathy can help with to minimise the visits. 

Other things to consider

  • Create a quiet, comfortable space where your pet can hide, with favourite toys and bed. Close windows and curtains to muffle the sound and flashes. Put on music or the TV. Keep them indoors and stay with them if possible. 
  • Distract them with interactive toys or a chew to keep them mentally busy and less focused on the sounds outside.
  • You could also use the pet version of the popular Bach Rescue Remedy, which has a pet-safe formula.
  • Before firework season, gradually desensitize your pet by playing recorded fireworks at a very low volume and slowly increasing it over time, and reward them for calm behaviour. You can find fireworks recordings on YouTube, and introduce the sounds when something good is already happening such as feeding time to create a positive association. 
  • If your pet’s fear is severe, consider seeing a professional dog trainer or behaviourist who can create a plan to help your pet cope with anxiety or any other problem behaviours. 

Homeopathy is a gentle, natural and highly effective approach to managing anxiety in our pets, and helping them stay calm and feel safe and secure. I hope my experience with helping Barney (and my human patients) overcome fear and anxiety will inspire you to try it with your pets.

Helen Doble