# Sticky  Bonfire night



## Selk67U2

*Hope this will be useful for you all**Remember, remember your pets this November! Fri 12th Sep*
*Bonfire Night may go with a bang for you and your family, but it is estimated that approximately 60 per cent of pets become stressed and fearful during the firework season. To make matters worse, not only are many owners unaware how to help their pets with firework fears, veterinary professionals believe 71 per cent of owners are unable to spot the signs that their pets are unhappy. (Survey of 209 veterinary professionals, including vets, vet nurses and receptionists, in June 2008).

With this in mind, CEVA Animal Health has joined forces with PDSA, Feline Advisory Bureau (FAB), the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors (APBC) and Sound Therapy 4 Pets to launch a Remember, remember your pets this November campaign to provide you with hints and tips on how to look after your pets during the firework season and the precautions you should take to help them cope with their fear of loud noises.

Featuring a wide range of advice from using synthetic copies of natural pheromones, D.A.P.® for dogs and Feliway® for cats, which help comfort and reassure fearful pets, to getting them microchipped in case they escape, the Remember, remember your pets this November campaign will help both you and your pets relax during the firework festivities.

Dogs and cats have very acute hearing and the noise from fireworks may actually be painful for them, comments Lucy Brett, product manager at CEVA Animal Health. Its therefore important that all owners prepare their pets for Bonfire Night and discuss this issue with their vets in plenty of time.

Owners of particularly fearful pets are advised to discuss behavioural programs with their vets well in advance of Bonfire Night. Dog owners should create a comforting den for their pets on the night. Encourage pets to use the den by hiding healthy food treats or toys there. The benefit of the den, which can be an enclosed bed or basket, can be maximised by plugging a D.A.P.® Diffuser close to it. Switching the diffuser on around a week before Bonfire Night will allow the pheromone to build up to significant levels and ensure pets are as relaxed as possible before, during and after the firework season. In addition, D.A.P.® Spray can be used to give support on the night of the event. D.A.P.® is also available in a collar formulation, designed to reduce the dogs general level of stress.

Most cats manage their fear of loud noises by voluntarily staying indoors. Owners should encourage this behaviour and ensure that cats can access their favourite bolthole. This may often be up high, for example on the top of cupboards. Plugging a Feliway® Diffuser in the room where the cat spends most of its time 48 hours before the festivities will also increase its sense of security.*


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