Millie is very nervous of loud noises and fireworks have always been a nightmare.
It doesn't help that our village had four VERY loud 15 minute firework nights, four times a year as part of the illuminations (one every Saturday in October this year) and that the theme park up the road also has quite a few from now until Christmas as part of their Christmas theme. As we are on the sides of a valley the echo makes the fireworks seem twice as loud.
She has always cried and shook when they happen. Then last New Year she was at my parents and mum said she completely freaked out (Millie not my mum) - more so than any other year. Whether it was the accident that made her worse I'm not sure (though I think it is as since her accident she leaves the room if Mick is watching/listening to rubgy and someone blows a whistle).
So at the end of August I went to the vet to see if there was anything I could give her and they recommended Kalm Aid. A 250ml pump bottle cost me around £17. They did say that it would work on some dogs (you must be able to give it to cats too as there is a picture of a cat and a dog on the bottle) but not all but if it didn't work to come back and they would recommend something else.
I have to mix it with her food - she could take it neat but she doesn't seem to like the taste of it that much. They recommended that 3 days before each firework night I give her half a dose a night (3 pumps) and then on the night of the fireworks I give her a double dose (12 pumps). Then, during Bonfire night season I give her between 3 and 6 pumps every night.
It has worked!!! When the first lot of fireworks went off at the beginning of October, you could tell she wasn't particularly impressed but she just sat with her tail between her legs and ears flat to her head, under the coffee table. The same for the next ones.
As I type Gullivers have their display going off and she is lying quietly at my feet just ignoring them.
The vet also said that I we were to ignore any behaviour that she displayed whilst the fireworks were going on as that would just encourage bad behaviour. So now we do.
The change has been remarkable - I can't recommend the stuff enough. Kalm Aid made by Nutriscience. I'm going to see if I can get it any cheaper from the internet.