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My dog is scared of Fourth of July fireworks. What medicine helps?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Female | spayed | 5 months and 26 days old | 20 lbs

What should I do to get my dogs to relax for Fourth of July? I have two dogs and they are both very scared and skittish when they hear any fire works what should I do? Is there any medicines I can give them?

5 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Anna M., DVM

Veterinarian

Published on July 3rd, 2017

I would recommend calling your primary vet as soon as possible and let them know about your dogs' fears. There's unfortunately nothing over the counter that is very effective for anxiety - but firework phobias are very common in dogs, and vets are used to getting calls from pet owners asking for a short course of anti-anxiety medication to get through the holiday. Your vet will be able to prescribe something that should help! If they haven't seen your dogs recently, they may require an exam prior to prescribing the medication. My standard go-to medication for noise phobias is trazodone - it helps with the anxiety without causing dramatic sedation. However, there are other medications that can be effective as well, depending on what your vet keeps in stock. Hope that helps!

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    Answered By Jenny, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    You can try a tight fitting shirt to mimic a Thunder Shirt. Your vet has very good prescription medication that is made specifically for thunderstorms and fire works because it is a common problem. Some people have success with an over the counter antihistamine to make them a little groggy

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    Answered By Sara Farmer, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    I would recommend putting them in a familiar safe place and using white noise or a radio to help drown out any noise. You could also try a pheromone collar like Adaptil or a Thundershirt. There are some supplements that could help including Composure or Zylkene. I would not recommend any over the counter medications- if you feel your dogs need a sedative you should contact your veterinarian.

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    Answered By Ricardo Fernandez, DVM

    Veterinarian, Veterinary Oncology Resident

    Published on July 2nd, 2019

    Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! While calming treats could in theory help, in a stressful situation like fireworks, they are not likely to do much. In this case I would recommend an anti-anxiety medication called Trazodone. This is something your veterinarian could prescribe for you. This is what I use with my own dogs in these scenarios and it works well. Best of luck!

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    Answered By Penelope Graben, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on June 30th, 2018

    Hello! For major anxiety inducing events, like fireworks and vet appointments, I recommend getting a prescription anti-anxiety medication. The drug Trazodone is my personal favorite for helping fearful dogs. It's an SSRI, so it works just like an anti-depressant. I give it to my dog about 45 minutes before the fireworks start, and it really helps him cope with the loud noises. You can also put cotton balls in Oso's ears, if he lets you. Most of the fearful dogs will appreciated the muted sounds. Just don't remember to take them out later! I hope this is helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

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