Mansfield Woodhouse vet reveals how a firework bang affects your dog
Vet warns what can happen to your dog when they hear fireworks
A Mansfield Woodhouse vet has given dog owners an insight into what their pets can hear, see and feel when fireworks explode - and why one dog may sleep through Bonfire Night while another shakes, barks or tries to escape.
Dogs experience of a display can be different from humans with dogs able to detect sounds from around four times further away and perceive higher frequencies than humans ₁.
When a dog is frightened by fireworks, it isn't “making a fuss” with research suggests there are genuine physiological changes taking place inside its body ₂.
Emma Hallam, Practice Manager, at the Carrick Veterinary Centre on Old Mill Lane Industrial Estate, said: “We experience fireworks knowing exactly what they are, when we're likely to hear them and that they aren't a threat. Our dogs don't have that explanation.
“Imagine suddenly hearing an extremely loud, unpredictable noise when you don't know where it has come from. For some dogs, their body responds as though there is something they need to protect themselves from. These aren't dogs being naughty or overreacting. They can be outward signs of a very real fear response.”
Laboratory research involving dogs with a history of firework sensitivity found differences in their autonomic nervous system response when exposed to recorded firework sounds.
Researchers observed animated behaviours - including hyper alertness, searching for the sound, trembling, freezing, barking, hiding and attempting to run away ₃.
But fear isn't always as obvious as a shaking dog. Subdued responses can also include pacing and restlessness, panting, quietly leaving a room, choosing an unusual place to lie in, refusing food, and seeking attention.
Dogs who display these behaviours may be less likely to get help, but that doesn't mean they aren't experiencing noise sensitivity.
Emma added: “Owners sometimes wonder why their new puppy is frightened when their previous dog wasn't, or why two dogs living in exactly the same household react completely differently.
“Fear can also change during a dog's lifetime. So, if a dog suddenly develops a sensitivity to noise when it hasn't been frightened before, I'd recommend talking them to your vet.”
No two dogs will react to fireworks in the same way, with evidence suggesting the explanation may lie in a complex combination of genetics, age, health, previous experiences and learning.