Fourth of July is a great summer holiday.  It's a celebration not only of America's history and traditions, but also of family, food, fireworks, and fun.  However, in all of the celebration we must not forget about our pets and their safety.  Here are a few tips to help keep your pets safe and out of harms way. 

Although beautiful to watch fireworks can be very stressful for pets. Pets do not enjoy fireworks like we do!  While we are enjoying the fireworks, too often our pets are frightened by them. They'll spend the holiday cowering, shaking, drooling, and seeking safety and comfort. Scared pets have been known to jump out of apartment windows, leap over or dig under fences, or chew their skin until it's raw. They may also bolt out an open door to become lost but never found.   First, here's what you should not do -- reward your pet for being scared. Comforting scared pets may seem the right thing to do, but it sends the wrong message. If you remain calm, they'll be closer to learning how to handle loud noises.  

Provide pets with safe, secure hiding spaces inside your home. Dogs and cats who are comfortable in crates can find them a good place to ride out the noise, especially if the crate is put in a quiet, darkened part of the house. Whatever you do, don't just throw your pet outside. A terrified pet can find a way out of the yard and, once out, will just keep running.

If you know your pet becomes totally unhinged by fireworks noise, contact our office before the holiday about an appropriate medication to calm your pet. Make sure you understand the dose and how long before the evening falls to give the medication. You might also ask to learn some acupressure points that will help to calm your pet. 

Don't let your dog spend all day in the sun - they could be at risk from heatstroke. Ensure your dog has access to a cool, shaded area and has plenty of water to drink throughout the day. Keep them inside during the hottest part of the day (12-7). Walking them early in the morning and late at night will eliminate thermal burns to their delicate paw pads.

Do not leave alcoholic drinks unattended - alcohol can poison your dog and depending on the amount consumed can cause vomiting, diarrhea, breathing difficulties, tremors, coma and even death.

Clear away ashtrays and do not leave cigarette packets where your dog can easily reach them - it only takes the ingestion of 1 to 5 cigarettes to kill your dog; if you smoke cigars and your dog eats less than half a cigar, that can be a lethal dose.

Do not use a sunscreen or insect repellent on your dog unless it's specifically made for pets - non-pet sunscreen contains ingredients that can make your dog drool, vomit and suffer with diarrhea if he ingests a sufficient quantity. Insect repellents often contain DEET which, if applied to your dog, can result in neurological problems.

Do not feed your dog scraps from the barbecue - any change to your dog's diet can result in a stomach upset (vomiting and/or diarrhea), and this is particularly the case when your dog eats fatty and/or salty foods, such as meat scraps and hot dogs.

Remember that bones, particularly chicken bones, can splinter and get lodged in your dog's throat.  Also, corn cobs and other leftovers can easily become lodged in your pet's throat or intestinal tract causing an emergency situation.

Other foods to keep away from your pets are grapes and raisins, chocolate, coffee, onions and avocados - these can all be toxic to your dog;

If decide to dress your dog up in a costume, make sure it's not tight fitting, his movement isn't restricted and there aren't any buttons or other decorations he can easily pull off and swallow.

If there are a lot of people, particularly children, at your celebration keep an eye on your dog to make sure he isn't looking uncomfortable being around so many people. Even the most good natured of dogs can bite if they feel threatened by a situation or are being teased.

Matches, lighters, candles - these should all be kept out of your dog's reach. As well as being toxic, a lighted candle is a fire hazard for your dog and your house.

Pools can be dangerous for pets too. Do not leave your pet unsupervised around water to avoid a potentially fatal accident.