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Celebrate the Fourth of July with family, friends and your pets: but do so with the safety of all in mind. This holiday can be particularly stressful for pets. A few safety suggestions from yourpetsvet...

• Keep pets away from all fireworks. Burns, hearing loss, eye and bodily damage can occur if your pet is too close to explosions.
• Dispose of all fireworks properly. Pets may eat left over fragments, develop digestive problems, or more serious injury.
• Pets who are nervous and frightened by noise may try to run away. Be sure your pet is wearing ID tags and is microchipped by your vet should this situation occur.

Consider confining your pet in safe place or kennel away from the noise. This method prevents self-injury to the would-be "escape artist" who may try to jump out of a window or though a glass door and/or who may slip their collar and leash with fright.

If your pet has become extremely upset and stressed by loud noises in the past, drdeb recommends several ways to reduce the stress. Sometimes we can prescribe medications, phermone (aromatherapy) application and protocols for relaxation to ease the stressors. Severe stress can cause disease problems in pets just as it can in people. And, once a behavior is learned and repeatedly reinforced, it can be very difficult to modify.

The Fourth of July is really a fun family holiday so don't forget your 4-legged family members. With some extra planning, everyone can have a yappy howl-a-day.