With an increasing awareness of professional responsibilities comes a requirement to place the same emphasis on the mental and emotional needs of patients as is given to their physical needs (Shepherd, 2009), making behavioural awareness an integral part of ‘best practice’. Consequently, when events occur that impact on the emotional welfare of an extensive proportion of the pet population, it becomes an essential part of the veterinary team's role to minimise the welfare effects by maximising owner understanding regarding reducing their pet's exposure to the problem.
Hence, this is the time of year when client education regarding sound sensitivity should become a priority for the veterinary team. Whether via an informational email to the client base, inviting clients who have previously purchased anxiety reducing products at this time of year to open information clinics, or raiding the petty cash for money to purchase a few bottles of wine and packets of crisps to tempt clients in for an educational meeting, no practice that has a computerised records system can have an excuse for failing to become proactive in client education aimed at reducing the impact of fireworks on the pet population.
Incidence — the size of the problem
Although the clinical case load of behaviourists alone suggests that large numbers of dogs suffer from sensitivity to noise, studies suggest that approximately 49% of the canine population are affected by a range of loud noises with up to 83% being affected by fireworks (Blackwell et al, 2005). A startle, stress inducing and escape reaction in response to sudden and loud noises, sudden flashes of light and the altering air pressures associated with local explosions is highly adaptive in preserving an animal's capacity to thrive and survive. Consequently it is reasonable to assume that a substantial proportion of each of our companion animal species are susceptible to distress during the firework period. The preliminary stress response will initiate escape and hiding behaviours (and within social species such as the dog it will also often result in social solicitation — seeking the company and attention of another social animal, usually the owner) intended to maximise immediate security (Bowen and Heath, 2005). Such avoidance behaviour is natural and enables coping, but if the behaviour fails to enable the animal to find a place of safety that minimises exposure to the noxious stimuli and/or alternative strategies are either unavailable or equally ineffective, the animal will fail to cope and enter into a prolonged period of distress. It is this failure to cope that is likely to increase the severity of the fear and increase the likelihood of phobia — a condition initiated by the animal's need to predict the likelihood of the fear-inducing stimulus. As a consequence, through classical conditioning, the animal learns to avoid stimuli and situations that may predict the likelihood of exposure to the fear-inducing noise, so that the resulting phobia is maladaptive and can severely reduce the welfare of the animal as it increasingly restricts its options to engage with its environment (Mills et al, 2013).
Recognising ‘at risk’ pets
Some pets are more ‘at risk’ than others:
Owners may need help in recognising the signs that dogs and cats display when anxious or fearful as many will display these so frequently, yet subtly, that owners will be unaware of their distress. The ‘ Canine Ladder of Aggression’ (Shepherd, 2009) is a useful tool for assisting owners in recognising a stressed dog and the 2nd edition of the BSAVA Behaviour handbook enables practice staff to print copies for owner education.
The aim of preventative measures — minimising exposure
Due to the almost inevitable nature of sound sensitivity, all owners should be encouraged to minimise the effects of the sight and sound of fireworks on their pet (Landsberg et al, 2013). As the natural coping strategy of avoidance in response to loud and novel noises appears common to most animal species, the priority should be to minimise effect by minimising exposure — limiting the likelihood of the pet becoming aware of either predictive flashes or sound from fireworks.
Creating a ‘safe place’ – making a den
Minimising exposure to fear inducing stimuli is maximised by escape to a safe place (Hargrave, 2014) where the animal can control both its level of exposure and its emotional state. For cats, this will be a raised area where the sight and sound of the stimulus is reduced — often the airing cupboard, the top of a wardrobe (particularly if a box covered in thick material or an igloo style bed can be placed there) or under a bed. During evenings when fireworks are predicted, providing darkened areas in rooms with good sound proofing for rabbits and smaller animals is advisable and if rabbits have to be kept outside, their hutch should be brought into an outhouse and covered with layers of blankets or old duvets and/or surrounded by bales.
Many dogs will already have a ‘safe place’ (Figure 2) but owners may not be aware of this — this situation is particularly problematic as if the dog is prevented from reaching its den, the dog may experience a motivation for destructive behaviour, and even aggression, to enable it to reach the area of safety (Bowen and Heath, 2005). If such a safe haven already exists (often under or behind a piece of furniture or in a small room such as a bathroom), access to it should be constant and that area of the house and the route to it will need to undergo the same management changes as occur in the area where the family spend time with the dog. In the absence of an existing safe place, one should be created. Owners may need help to realise that the dog's usual bed may not be as safe as they think — particularly if the dog is sent there for being ‘naughty’ or if it is in an area of the home that forms part of a relatively busy thoroughfare (e.g. behind a kitchen door).
Although all dogs should have constant access to a den, if one does not already exist, preparations should begin at least 2 weeks before the expected exposure to noise. Once the location is selected (preferably in the corner of inside walls and never in a room with a glass, plastic or tin roof or with numerous windows — so conservatories are unsuitable) a bed should be converted to a den with a solid roof and sides. If the dog already likes to use an open crate as its bed, thick blankets or old duvets may act as sound-proofing; alternatively these materials can be placed over a box containing bedding. Owners may try to excuse this provision by suggesting that their dog will pull at or destroy the padding, but a second, slightly larger box placed over the top can easily prevent this. When worried, many dogs experience a motivation to dig their bedding — this is a coping strategy and should not be discouraged; by cutting old blankets into smaller pieces or providing small, old towels the dog can dig into bedding without causing excessive tearing. Initially, some dogs may be suspicious of their new den and may require persuasion to enter it; advise owners to regularly sit quietly beside the den while they read or listen to the TV/radio, gently encouraging the dog to enter using treats. The nature of the treat should gradually change to ones that require more time to consume e.g. a stuffed puzzle toy, and once the dog is able to remain engaged with relaxed eating behaviour in the den the owner can gradually initiate activities away from the den until the dog can remain in there without the presence of the owner.
The provision of the ‘safe place’ gives the animal a sense of control and enhances coping (Mills et al, 2013), not only reducing stress, but over time the predictable accessibility can assist the pet in gaining the confidence to spend increasing amounts of time outside the den, despite the presence of the problem stimulus (Bowen — personal correspondence).
The importance of pheromones
Feline facial faction 3 (in cats) and dog appeasing pheromone (in dogs) have been recommended as part of prevention, management and treatment strategies for sound sensitivities (Mills et al, 2013). However it is in prevention, through minimising exposure to sounds by enhancing relaxation and a concept of safety in and around the ‘safe place’ (Hargrave, 2014), thereby maximising the animal's likely use of the area, that pheromones are likely to have their greatest effect in preventing sensitisation to sounds. Consequently, although all dog and cat owners should be encouraged to use pheromones in the area around the den during the firework season, it should also be explained that although the pheromones will promote coping and choice, for animals pre-disposed to, or already exhibiting, fear responses to noise the response will only appear to be reduced — the sensitivity is unlikely to be resolved. In ideal situations the diffuser should be placed as close as possible to the opening of the den and to maintain a consistent message of security, the appliance should be left on all of the time.
Alternative anxiety reducing chemical assistance
For pets with existing sensitivity to sound, pheromonatherapy should be combined with medication that has anxiolytic properties as well as providing short-term amnesia — thereby ensuring that the animal is not sedated. This ensures the animal can carry out its coping strategies but, if already experiencing or likely to develop phobia, the incident is not remembered and the condition does not worsen. Bezodiazapines have been recommended for this purpose (Overall, 2002; Levine, 2009) but as this medication can leave some dogs prone to increased excitability it is highly advisable to perform a trial dosage prior to the firework season.
Many owners will be interested in trying the herbal and nutraceutical products that are marketed for sound sensitivities, particularly due to their ‘natural’ status. It is worth considering that the use of these products is generally based on case studies rather than rigorous research, so although they may be a useful addition to pheromonatherapy, they should not be considered as an alternative and great care should be taken when combining them with medication.
How useful are puzzle feeders?
Pets that are used to the independent use of puzzle feeders can become highly engrossed in activities that mask the effects of external noises (Figure 3). However, for many anxious and fearful pets it can be difficult to leave the safety of a den to engage in such activities, and for such animals the attempts of owners to coerce their pet's attention may inadvertently enhance their level of stress. Cats that remain outside their den can benefit from distraction by hunting type games — short fishing rod, laser pen or other activities that terminate on a small, tasty treat.
Conclusion
Firework fear and phobia is a serious welfare problem for pets; once the condition is recognised it should be a priority for owners to seek treatment for their pets and consequently follow up of patients whose owners attend firework-related education events, or purchase aids to enhance pet relaxation during firework season, should be a welfare priority for veterinary staff. Following a recent joint research project by Jon Bowen and Jaume Fatjo (as yet unpublished) a questionnaire is available (through CEVA Animal Health's website (see below)) to enable owners to assess the severity of their dog's sound sensitivity and to assess the treatment most suitable to their needs. However, the seasonal nature of firework and thunder sensitivities often reduces an owner's recognition of the enormity of the problem for their pet and without the intervention of the veterinary profession in encouraging a pro-active response from clients, the emotional welfare of a large proportion of the companion animal population will continue to suffer.