July 3, 2025 • 4 mins
Dr. Kirsten Marshall with Bridges Animal Hospital joins us to discuss how to keep your pets safe during all of the fireworks celebrations this weekend.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Mentioned in the last half hour. We've been looking forward
to the big holiday weekend now for a long time.
It's here, but it can be a very dangerous time
for our pets.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Now.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
This is West Michigan's Morning News Steve Kelly, Brett Keita,
joined once again by doctor Kirsten Marshall with Bridges Animal Hospital.
Doctor Marshall, thank you for doing this today.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Well, of course, good morning.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
Talk to us a little bit about the things that
we need to look out for for the Independence Day
holiday for our animals.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
No such a fun weekend. We're all looking forward to
it and many of us take our pets with us
if we travel or we want to hang out with
them if we're home on a staycation. Then here's the thing.
There is probably not a more stressful weekend or a
bit of time for our pets than Fourth of July.
Different sites, different sounds, things are scary, more people around.
(00:52):
All of the things come together to caust the very
stressed out pets. But there are things we can do
to minimize that stress to get our pets through it safely.
So it's a good thing to talk about.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
Well, doctor Marshall, I got a couple of things for
you so one. I kind of call it the sprinkling
mode as far as when you take your dog for
a walk, right, because they always say sprinkle your lawn
in the morning it's most effective, or in the evening
at night. I'm guessing that's the same with the temperatures
for the dogs for walks, because we took Rudy for
a walk last night at a park and it seemed
like everybody was out there.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Yeah, I kind of like that. I'm going to use
that morning and night are good. It's actually a really
good thing to talk about. Even when we talk about
the fourth or fireworks, so certainly it's hot. Same thing
we always talk about, keep them, keep your walks shorter,
make certain they're not walking on that hot pavement. Middle
of the day or early morning in the evening is
the best time to go. But on the fourth or
(01:46):
the fifth, or whenever the fireworks are going to be
going the craziest, do that walk, Make it a long one,
and do it before the sun goes down, because we
want them tired, but we don't want to be out
there walking then once people start shooting things off, that
is talk about stressful for dogs. We have to remember
that you know dogs their environment. They hate change. They
like things to be consistent, and when we add in
booms and lights and oohs and adds of people, way
(02:09):
too stressful for them. And we're setting them up long
term for more fear and noise phobias. So please, the
biggest thing I can say, do not take your pet dogs, primarily,
do not take them to the fireworks at all this year.
That take that off your list of things to do.
It is too scary. And even if you have that
perfectly calm, bolden retriever that loves to see everyone, they
(02:30):
don't like the fireworks. They just don't.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
The second quick question I had before Steve wants to
hop in is the fact of is it all right
to like put some ice cubes or cool down their water?
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Oh? Sure? Oh yeah, that was a controversy a couple
of years ago. Wasn't it right? How Facebook's saying absolutely,
it's fine. Dogs. A lot of dogs eat ice cues.
If they fall out of the dispenser from your fridge,
they go crazy eating them off the ground. It's not
a problem, it truly isn't. I mean, what I give
dogs only ice cues. There's a source of water, no
but a couple of ice cubes and their role is
just fine.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
You have to remember too, that dogs explore the world
with their mouths.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
Yet oh heck, yes, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
And you've got stuff that is shooting up in the
air that's running away from them that they want to
they just can't help themselves. So gosh almighty, if you're
doing your own fireworks, keep your dogs inside too.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
Oh, keep them inside. And the other thing is the
next morning, after you've had your little fireworks display for
the neighborhood, pick everything out before you let your dog out.
They are going to sniff out and eat anything fun
and stinky on the ground. I've had lots of situations
over the years of dogs eating the spent fireworks. There's
still a lot of yuck in there that's going to
(03:44):
give them a set stomach at the very least. So
pick everything up before you let your dog out in
the morning, or better get chick them out on a
leash while you survey the surroundings. But truly, don't take
your dogs outside if you have fireworks, and most of
us are going to have things going off over the
next couple of days, find a secluded place in your house,
no windows, turn on the radio, give them some yummy treats,
(04:06):
some new toys, and just leave them be. Let them
sort of sell footh if you can't. That works for
most dogs. If you know your dog is noise phobic,
if you noise had problems in the past, talk to
your veterinarian today. There are a whole spectrum of things
we can do for them. Some dogs will do just
fine with pheromone therapy. Some dogs love their thundershirts. Other
(04:29):
dogs need a little bit more pharmological intervention and it
can be done safely, but you gotta talk to your
veterinarian now. Most of these dogs need to be on
board hours before the noise actually starts.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Doctor Kirsten Marshall, Bridges Animal Hospital. Great stuff is always
thank you, You're welcome.
Mentioned in the last half hour. We've been looking forward
to the big holiday weekend now for a long time.
It's here, but it can be a very dangerous time
for our pets.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Now.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
This is West Michigan's Morning News Steve Kelly, Brett Keita,
joined once again by doctor Kirsten Marshall with Bridges Animal Hospital.
Doctor Marshall, thank you for doing this today.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Well, of course, good morning.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
Talk to us a little bit about the things that
we need to look out for for the Independence Day
holiday for our animals.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
No such a fun weekend. We're all looking forward to
it and many of us take our pets with us
if we travel or we want to hang out with
them if we're home on a staycation. Then here's the thing.
There is probably not a more stressful weekend or a
bit of time for our pets than Fourth of July.
Different sites, different sounds, things are scary, more people around.
(00:52):
All of the things come together to caust the very
stressed out pets. But there are things we can do
to minimize that stress to get our pets through it safely.
So it's a good thing to talk about.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
Well, doctor Marshall, I got a couple of things for
you so one. I kind of call it the sprinkling
mode as far as when you take your dog for
a walk, right, because they always say sprinkle your lawn
in the morning it's most effective, or in the evening
at night. I'm guessing that's the same with the temperatures
for the dogs for walks, because we took Rudy for
a walk last night at a park and it seemed
like everybody was out there.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Yeah, I kind of like that. I'm going to use
that morning and night are good. It's actually a really
good thing to talk about. Even when we talk about
the fourth or fireworks, so certainly it's hot. Same thing
we always talk about, keep them, keep your walks shorter,
make certain they're not walking on that hot pavement. Middle
of the day or early morning in the evening is
the best time to go. But on the fourth or
(01:46):
the fifth, or whenever the fireworks are going to be
going the craziest, do that walk, Make it a long one,
and do it before the sun goes down, because we
want them tired, but we don't want to be out
there walking then once people start shooting things off, that
is talk about stressful for dogs. We have to remember
that you know dogs their environment. They hate change. They
like things to be consistent, and when we add in
booms and lights and oohs and adds of people, way
(02:09):
too stressful for them. And we're setting them up long
term for more fear and noise phobias. So please, the
biggest thing I can say, do not take your pet dogs, primarily,
do not take them to the fireworks at all this year.
That take that off your list of things to do.
It is too scary. And even if you have that
perfectly calm, bolden retriever that loves to see everyone, they
(02:30):
don't like the fireworks. They just don't.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
The second quick question I had before Steve wants to
hop in is the fact of is it all right
to like put some ice cubes or cool down their water?
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Oh? Sure? Oh yeah, that was a controversy a couple
of years ago. Wasn't it right? How Facebook's saying absolutely,
it's fine. Dogs. A lot of dogs eat ice cues.
If they fall out of the dispenser from your fridge,
they go crazy eating them off the ground. It's not
a problem, it truly isn't. I mean, what I give
dogs only ice cues. There's a source of water, no
but a couple of ice cubes and their role is
just fine.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
You have to remember too, that dogs explore the world
with their mouths.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
Yet oh heck, yes, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
And you've got stuff that is shooting up in the
air that's running away from them that they want to
they just can't help themselves. So gosh almighty, if you're
doing your own fireworks, keep your dogs inside too.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
Oh, keep them inside. And the other thing is the
next morning, after you've had your little fireworks display for
the neighborhood, pick everything out before you let your dog out.
They are going to sniff out and eat anything fun
and stinky on the ground. I've had lots of situations
over the years of dogs eating the spent fireworks. There's
still a lot of yuck in there that's going to
(03:44):
give them a set stomach at the very least. So
pick everything up before you let your dog out in
the morning, or better get chick them out on a
leash while you survey the surroundings. But truly, don't take
your dogs outside if you have fireworks, and most of
us are going to have things going off over the
next couple of days, find a secluded place in your house,
no windows, turn on the radio, give them some yummy treats,
(04:06):
some new toys, and just leave them be. Let them
sort of sell footh if you can't. That works for
most dogs. If you know your dog is noise phobic,
if you noise had problems in the past, talk to
your veterinarian today. There are a whole spectrum of things
we can do for them. Some dogs will do just
fine with pheromone therapy. Some dogs love their thundershirts. Other
(04:29):
dogs need a little bit more pharmological intervention and it
can be done safely, but you gotta talk to your
veterinarian now. Most of these dogs need to be on
board hours before the noise actually starts.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Doctor Kirsten Marshall, Bridges Animal Hospital. Great stuff is always
thank you, You're welcome.
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