Fireworks

[dturm]

Winnie - our new Golden - is afraid of loud noises, mostly thunder and fireworks. Kaylee is getting better as her hearing diminishes, she now only hears and reacts to the loudest sounds.

I heard a financial report a few days ago and it appears that another sector that has been hit with large price increases is fireworks. I can only hope that the price increase is enough that people choose to buy gas, food and other essentials rather than fireworks. I'm not holding my breath...

[Wanderlost]

On Saturday, two houses burned to ash and a third was severely damaged. People weren't home, but three dogs died and devastated that family. Stopped counting the number of fires all those fireworks set off in this drought-stricken area.

My writers' group had an assignment, to write a sonnet. Instead of using the more common Shakespearean form, I chose the Petrarchen form:

Fireworks
These angry eyes, o’er which my tears doth burn,
See fireworks sparkle high, their beauty masked
By utter destruction, for as they passed
Their embers fell to spark dry plants and churn
A conflagration. Yet they had no concern
That their fiery trails caused more questions asked.
I wonder, who next shall have that dread turn
When their beloved pets are isotherm?
I dare not retire ‘til revelers cease
The careless unconcern for others’ plight.
I stand with my hose, primed to release
The water and hopefully gain some peace
By slaking the red motes I see this night,
Leaving only moisture upon our street.

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

I live on a large lake, so idiots begin shooting fireworks the moment the tent vendors show up; and continue for weeks after the 4th. I heard a couple of bangs around suppertime, so gave Ben* a 1/2-tablet dose of "NaturVet" melatonin and calming herbs. He was happily snoozing by the time it got dark and the true fireworks began. Fortunately, Augie seems fairly resilient when it comes to fireworks, although I'll give him a tablet the night of our huge professional display.
*Ben was 3 months old, when some jack*** shot off a "mortar" about 100 yds from our house just as I had set him on the ground to go potty before bedtime. It scared him so badly that he screamed.... This occurred 3 weeks AFTER the 4th - and imprinted a forever-fear of loud noises in him. Lake life is nice, but there ARE drawbacks - somehow, water draws out the "stupid people factor"

[BCSnob]

How are the initial solutions prepared (known amount dissolved in a solvent) since white phosphorus is highly reactive to air (pyrophoric) and decomposes in light?

[rlw999]

dcason wrote:
Something that has been very helpful to daughters dog is Homeopathic remedy, Phosphorus 30c. She tried cbd and thundershirt and NOPE. However if she doses Phosphorus 30c before the thunder starts (watch the weather!), then there is not the panting and hiding but a relaxed dog. Try it...cheap!

It should be cheap since it likely contains not even a single molecule of the active ingredient.

A 30C dilution means a 1:100 dilution run 30 times, so the end product is a 1 in 10^60 dilution. That's 1 followed by 60 zeros.

Or, another way to put it:

on average, this would require giving two billion doses per second to six billion people for 4 billion years to deliver a single molecule of the original material to any patient.

[dcason]

Something that has been very helpful to daughters dog is Homeopathic remedy, Phosphorus 30c. She tried cbd and thundershirt and NOPE. However if she doses Phosphorus 30c before the thunder starts (watch the weather!), then there is not the panting and hiding but a relaxed dog. Try it...cheap!

[Pawz4me]

dturm wrote:


BTW, don't pass up the potential of "chemical" intervention. There are OTC meds and MANY more prescription meds that can be amazingly beneficial in lessening the anxiety. This isn't the old tranquilizers that we used to use but newer meds and combination protocols that can really help.

Doug, DVM

Yep. We rescued a nine-year old (estimated) Lhasa Apso in March 2020. It quickly became evident that thunderstorms, and then fireworks, were huge issues for her. A Thundershirt helps to a very mild degree. Some Benadryl kinda sorta maybe helped a little more. Talked to our vet about it and he advised trying some trazadone. That definitely helped more than the Benadryl, but as time has gone by it seems to not do as much as it initially did. So I talked to the vet again yesterday and he advises adding in a little gabapentin and seeing how that works. We have storms in the forecast next week, so we may find out then. I'd rather have her a little loopy than stressed out.

[Sandia_Man]

We grew up with fireworks on the Fourth and I am all for it on that holiday, we enjoy setting them off when we happen to be home. Certain types of fireworks are restricted in our area, but as others have noted some will purchase from out of state and have no ambivalence in setting them off ilegally. Some places we lived it was literally a contest between neighbors and neighborhoods, we never participated in such antics, plus those types of fireworks are way more than I want to pay for a few minutes of enjoyment. With any pets we had that were sensitive to the noise we simply put them indoors with music or tv on.

Funny how explosions and other loud noises from our TVs doesn't bother our cats and dogs a bit, they sleep like rocks with our speakers blaring. Last couple of Fourth of July holidays we just had a paltry supply as were were not keen enough to get some from Walmart, Samsclub, or any of the major grocery stores before they sold out, had to buy last ninute from one of the firework stands where mark up is incredulous to say the least. That reminds me, we are staying put for the Fourth and I need to go to Samsclub and Walmart anyway, happy Independence Day to everybody and God bless our military and all who've served.

[dturm]

I second the idea of a Thunder Shirt or similar product. They don't work all the time but enough that it's worth the try. We had one for a previous Golden but putting it on an 80# dead weight, totally limp, uncooperative dog proved more difficult than the benefit.

Winnie really isn't THAT bad, she just won't eliminate with loud booms so the last trip outside has to be well before sunset. That makes for a long night. She just goes to a semi-enclosed area and puts her head under an end table.

BTW, don't pass up the potential of "chemical" intervention. There are OTC meds and MANY more prescription meds that can be amazingly beneficial in lessening the anxiety. This isn't the old tranquilizers that we used to use but newer meds and combination protocols that can really help.

We live in a state where fireworks sales are permitted and actually encouraged. Several years ago the state refused to increase restrictions and instead put a special tax on fireworks sales. The tax was supposed to go for fire personnel training. We do have restrictions on time and dates permitted around holidays, but we all know how that goes.

Doug, DVM

[bgum]

Fireworks should be restricted to shows put on by the public body the night of fourth only. Children could then experience the event. There are many reasons to prohibit otherwise.

We were experiencing a nice quiet evening when Dollywood decided to have their evening show. Kind of ruined the mountain experience. It could be heard more than a mile from their property.

By the way the Thunder Blanket did help our dog get through some traumatic events.

[Lwiddis]

News organizations don't report about firework injuries to humans and animals. They usually do about fires started by the use of fireworks.

[Ed_Gee]

I'd highly recommend you get your dog a " Thunder-shirt ". They are available everywhere, including Amazon. Not a marketing gimmick .. dog owners all over the nation will attest to their benefits. Google it.
And I suggest you order one quickly before the 4th arrives.

[MitchF150]

Yep.. My wife volunteers at an animal shelter and we never go away for the 4th...

I totally respect the 'meaning' of the holiday, but the amount of fireworks that are lit off those days leading up to it is just insane...

She deals with so many 'stray' (scared) animals that week, they fill up!

Then, when the owners are called and have to 'bail' them out, all they do is complain that "it wasn't my fault.."

Anyway, our cats hide for several days before and after the event because of our neighbors blowing them off all week long...

Not supposed to do that according to the 'law'... But, no one enforces it..

How many houses, property and physical harm is going to happen this year??

Already heard of a 14 year old kid blowing his hand off and seriously maiming the other hand and also injuring his friend when one when off in his hand...

I grew up with fireworks as a kid, but I never really got 'into it' like others.. I enjoyed the big shows that was put on for that night... Not just lighting them off in my driveway..

Each to their own I guess... That's why I stay home with the hoses ready to go around my house! 🙂

Mitch

[rlw999]

I doubt enough people will be priced out of fireworks to make a difference. They are illegal in my county, but that doesn't keep people from setting them off.

Our dog is scared too, he feels safer in the garage, so when there are fireworks and he heads to the garage, we let him in the garaged RV and let him sleep in his crate in the corner while we watch TV with the volume turned up loud to help mask the fireworks.