The season of terror will soon be upon us, and by that I don’t mean Halloween – I refer, of course, to the dreaded Bonfire Night, and the influx of owners requesting a magical cure for their dogs’ noise phobia.
We’re all guilty of losing track of time, but this time of year particularly seems to creep up on us. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t be prepared for the annual assault on our senses that is firework season (much like our four-legged friends, I’m not the greatest fan).
But the responsibility does not just lie with owners – we can grumble about it being too late for desensitisation programmes in the stream of firework fear consults inevitably booked in for 3 November, but we, as vets, should be putting the advice out there much earlier, too.
Time and tide
The key is timely marketing. We should be using social media platforms, waiting room displays and newsletters to prompt owners of seasonal health and welfare issues, with Bonfire Night being a pretty important one.
If we are reminding clients early enough, then hopefully they can get prepared in plenty of time. If practices offer “firework clinics” (which sound far more exciting than the reality) they should be advertised and discussed far in advance of firework season, otherwise it will be “too little too late” to modify behaviour.
This is an ideal opportunity to use nursing staff, who can discuss general advice and desensitisation before, after or in conjunction with a veterinary consult to prescribe any medication that may be required. Making a den in the waiting room to demonstrate how owners can help make their pets feel safe will stand out more than just another poster on the wall.
Practice preparedness
Vets themselves should be prepared for the doom of Bonfire Night, too. I can’t speak for all vets, but as a new grad I had very little knowledge of the advice or medications we could offer. At this time of year, many practices will have recently taken on new grads, so be sure to have a discussion about the medications appropriate for noise phobia.
Some owners will just request whatever they’ve had before; but, with the use of some drugs becoming outdated, it’s useful to refresh everyone in the practice – not just the new grads – on current advice.
Such advice is not just limited to the sedatives, calmers or pheromones sat on the shelf – does everyone know which recommended behaviourist to use if a referral is needed? Are there any helpful leaflets or online resources that owners can be directed to?
Think big
It’s not just small animal clients we should be informing; many equine clients also have concerns about their horses while fireworks are going off, so we need to offer them the appropriate advice for this time of year, too.
Ultimately, the aim is to do the best for the animals under our care, and that means encouraging clients to get prepared early.
Everyone in the practice should be on the same page when it comes to seasonal issues.
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