Veterinarians are pleading for an end to the nightly roar of fireworks in New York City, warning that the loud blasts could cause more than just anxiety for pets -- it could be fatal.
Cats, specifically, are at risk of developing life-threatening urethral obstructions from fear due to the incessant pyrotechnics, experts told The New York Post.
“The stress of fireworks right now is a lot on pets,” said Dr. Natara Loose of The Neighborhood Vet in Brooklyn.
Male felines especially can get stressed out by loud noises, affecting their bladders to the point where they’re unable to urinate.
“What ends up happening is they get an infection in the bladder and their urethra gets spasms… they get a functional obstruction and that can be fatal for them,” said Loose, a veterinarian of 17 years.
Warning signs of the potentially deadly condition include running in and out of the litter pan, going in places where they don’t usually relieve themselves and blood in the urine, said Dr. Brett Levitzke, a vet with VERG in Brooklyn.
“If they do become obstructed, they’ll start to show more significant signs of illness,” like not eating or throwing up, Levitzke said, as he urged owners who spot the signs to call their vet immediately.
“If you expose any dog or cat to constant stressful events, it will definitely have some psychological or behavioral long-term effects,” he added.
“Really, the only way to get this anxiety to stop is to get the fireworks to stop.”
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