For humans, the thunderous bangs and whistles from Independence Day fireworks are the ultimate expression of national pride. For many of our four- legged friends, however, July 4th is a time of high anxiety and stress. This year, Phantom Fireworks' Animal Safety Consultant, Dr. Jamie Daley, DVM, has some tips for putting our animal friends at ease during the height of the fireworks season.

While all animals are susceptible to the stress of fireworks, Dr. Daley said dogs are most vulnerable. She said dogs express their anxiety in many ways. "One of the first things you'll see is the tail will tuck and they'll start to cower," Daley said. Other signs are restless pacing, constant panting, loud barking, shivering, and hiding. Another stress- related reaction many pets exhibit is diarrhea, which owners can anticipate by putting the dog on bland diet of boiled chicken and rice to minimize inflammation in the GI tract.

Daley offered 5 tips on how to safeguard pets' emotional health for the fireworks season.

• One method is for owners to get a recording of fireworks and begin playing it for their pets at a low volume. As July 4th approaches, the volume is slowly increased, so that by the time the fireworks occur, the pet is already acclimated to the sound. "So far, I've seen really good results from this method. I might use it on my dog this year."

• Another strategy is for pets that react while the show occurs. "Every time you see a pet react negatively to sounds, give them a favorite toy," Daley said. Distracting pets with another activity can help take their focus away from noise.

• But for some dogs, being anywhere near fireworks is a problem. "If you know they're going to have [fireworks] out, put the pets in the basement where they won't be exposed to it." This can be a good strategy for people who don't light fireworks themselves but want to protect their pets from neighborhood shows.

• A fourth technique to use in conjunction with avoidance is buffering, in which the animal is kept inside with the television or radio on high to drown out the sounds.

• Finally, there are some animals for whom no amount of soothing or distraction will work. As a last result, there are several forms of medications such as the valium- derivative Alprazolam and sedatives like Acepromazine. Pet owners should be careful with sedatives, however, because in some cases they can lower the animal's blood pressure.

To learn more about fireworks safety, visit fireworks. com. Phantom Fireworks wishes America a safe and happy Fourth of July.