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Scientifically proven to work Blue House Vets, as pet owners as well as vets, are only too well aware of the distress caused every year by fireworks. Our pet can be changed from happy and relaxed to a shivering wreck or destructive monster within a matter of seconds. An event like this can result in petrified pets every time a firework goes off - which can happen all though the year, not just bonfire night. We know from our clients that firework phobia is shared by hundreds of our patients; a distressing situation for owners and pets alike. For many years, the only recourse we had was sedative and tranquillising drugs. Whilst necessary in some animals, their use is undesirable, and we cannot sedate our pets for months on end. We can offer you a strategy that can help reduce your pet’s fears, using a combination of behavioural modification, sound desensitisation, and pheromone therapy. And this strategy works. A survey of pets treated with our protocol has been published in the vets' scientific journal The Veterinary Record, with further studies in the pipeline. Behavioural modification We all want to comfort our pet when frightened: "There's a good boy, everything will be OK". What you are actually telling your pet is that it is OK to be frightened. A different approach is required - all explained in the instructions that come with our CD. Sound de-sensitisation We have recorded a CD of a bonfire party as it happened, with all the bangs, whizzes, pops and squeaks, some distant, some closer to. The idea is that you play the CD on a regular basis, starting at a very low intensity, increasing the volume over a period of time. You aim to never upset your pet. Over a number of weeks, your pet will become less responsive to these sounds. Play the CD in the evening when the fireworks are going off and it will also mask the sounds outside. The Firework Sounds CD can also be used for horses that are afraid of fireworks. In this species, firework phobia can have tragic results. And how about your poor little rabbit sat in his hutch - did anyone remember him when the bangs started? As a 'prey' species like the horse, any loud sound or sudden movement is a threat of being eaten, and therefore is likely to trigger a panic / flee reaction. See the horse section for more on this. Pheromones Pheromones are natural chemical messengers, with very powerful actions. In dogs, bitches with pups produce a pheromone from the mammary gland that re-assures pups that the breast area is a safe and comfortable zone. This effect continues into adulthood. Scientists have isolated the chemical, and produced a product that works via a vaporiser, plugged into an electrical socket. The canine version is called DAP (dog appeasing pheromone) and is also available in a collar form. The cat version is called Feliway, and comes as a plug in or a spray. For more detailed information about the scientific basis of pheromones, and clinical trials performed using them, please click here Blue House Veterinary Centre
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