Moderator
Welcome to today's chat. Joining us live in our studio is Caroline Reay from The Blue Cross charity.

Caroline Reay
There's lots of evidence that animals have the same physiological signs as us, such as raised heart rate, and increased blood cortisol but the behavioural signs can be very different. Stressed animals will often be agitated and restless but they can also be withdrawn. These animals may lick their lips or druel whilst some dogs bark or howl.

Moderator
Emma Carrick, from Nottingham, would like to ask wants "What advice would you give to pet owners at this time of year?"

Caroline Reay
Hi Emma. During this time of year The Blue Cross advises that animals should be provided with a den or a bolt hole where they can retreat from the noises of the sounds of fireworks or bad weather such as thunder and lightening. It could also be helpful to introduce your pet to this area before things start to get too noisy and to make them feel that it is a nice place to be by giving them treats or feeding them in that place. Putting something that you have been wearing such as an old t-shirt, it will make them feel more secure. Also proving blankets that they can burrow under is also helpful. You should make sure that they could also get access to this area. If they are trying to escape and the door is closed it can make them really panic.

Moderator
Following on Gareth, from Nottingham, wants to know "should I put my cat in a box when fireworks start because she runs round and round otherwise"

Caroline Reay
Hi Gareth. It's probably best to let your cat choose where she wants to be. Providing somewhere like a box where she can freely get in and out of is good, but running around may actually help your pet to cope with the stress. Allowing her access to somewhere under the bed may also be helpful for her as may drawing the curtains and putting on some background music.

Moderator
Following on from that, Imogen would like to know "Why will closing the curtains help? "

Caroline Reay
Closing the curtains helps to block out the sight of the flashes which some animals find unpleasant and which can also build anticipation of sudden bangs that animals don't like and it will also help to muffle the noise.

Moderator
June asks "should I ignore my dog when he starts barking during fireworks, if I try to calm him down it doesn't seem to help and once he bit me. What should I do?"

Caroline Reay
Hi June. It's always a good idea to ignore a dog when they are barking as the attention can sometimes make them bark more. In any case, it's best to pay no attention to an animal which is agitated by fireworks because the animal may misinterpret our attempts at reassurance as being a sign that we are worried too, which can make them feel worse. Being calm happy and relaxed is the best thing to do. At the Blue Cross if you need behavioural help with your animals, we have experts who can help over the phone or in person. To find your local Blue Cross centre call 01993 825 500 or go www.bluecross.org.uk

Moderator
Lorraine, who owns two Dalmatians would like to ask "my 2 dogs start fighting when the fireworks start, should I keep them apart or together?"

Caroline Reay
Hi Lorraine. To start with, during these periods I would suggest keeping them apart to avoid immediate injuries. It is though really important that you seek advice from a behaviourist or vet.

Moderator
Jane would like to ask "Is it safe to walk my dog when fireworks are going off?"

Caroline Reay
Hi Jane. Generally speaking The Blue Cross advise that all dogs, cats and other small animals should be inside during these times, even if your dog is not afraid of the fireworks you never know when something unexpected might happen.

Moderator
An interesting question from Kel. He would like to know "is there something I could give my dog, a sedative or something to help during firework night"

Caroline Reay
Hi Kel. There are sedatives and you need to talk to your vet about how these should be used. Some of the older products are now not considered to be suitable because they leave the dog feeling scared but so woozy and wobbly that they can't run away. Therefore they are trapped in a nightmare. However if your dog is upset by fireworks the best action is to talk to your vet about behavioural desensitisation, often with the use of the CD of firework sounds. Dogs that are scared of fireworks don't get better with time they get worse.

Moderator
Mark from Glasgow asks "do dogs get more scared than cats"

Caroline Reay
Hi Mark. It's impossible to say. We know that both dogs and cats get stressed and scared by fireworks and other things but only an individual can say how scared they are.

Moderator
Claire from Lester asks "could the noise from fireworks cause lasting damage to my dog or is it just a temporary thing?"

Caroline Reay
Hi Claire. Animals are unlikely to suffer physical damage, but they can suffer psychologically and be left permanently scared of loud noises. This can also get worse with time and sometimes they will become scared of other types of noise such as cans being opened.

Moderator
Juan would like to know "When I took my dog to training, we used to have training sessions with fireworks in the background. I found that this did calm my dog down when the real fireworks happened. Do you agree with this form of training?"

Caroline Reay
Hi Juan. I think you have got to be careful not to overwhelm a dog in this situation. It's better to use a CD of recorded sounds because then you can more easily control the volume. Any sort of training like this should never be pushed to the point where the dog actually looks scared and preferably the dog should be distracted with a pleasant activity such as a game as the training is going on but you have to be very very careful.

Moderator
An unusal question from Perry. "My cat really doesn't like fireworks she wont eat for days after. Is this normal? What can I do?"

Caroline Reay

Hi Perry. Often cats are bothered by fireworks and will be agitated at the time and your cat appears to be especially sensitive. It's probably worth talking to your vet to see whether your cat should undertake a programme of behavioural desensitisation for next year. Some of the things that we have advised earlier will also help....

Moderator
Ruth asks, "Could I maybe cover my dogs ears with a cloth to help muffle the noise?"

Caroline Reay
Hi Ruth. I wouldn't advise doing this. A cloth wouldn't really be an affective barrier against the noise. It would probably be better to take some of the advice we have covered in today's web chat so far. In future consult your vet about a behavioural programme.

Moderator
Peter would like to know where he can go for further information?

Caroline Reay
Hi Peter. You can go to the advice and leaflet section on the Blue Cross website which is www.bluecross.org.uk. You can call into any of our centres and hospitals and you can ring to order a copy of the FREE leaflet on 01993 825 500.