Thunderstorm Phobias in Dogs and Cats

Storm and Noise Phobias

                Summer often brings thunderstorms and celebrations involving fireworks.  Many dogs (and some cats!) can be fearful of these and other loud noises.  Pets may pant, pace, tremble, hide in strange places and may even have accidents in the house, drool excessively or destroy things in an attempt to get away from the noise.   What can you do if your pet has a storm or noise phobia?  There are several tactics that can reduce anxiety during storms or fireworks displays.

                First, while it may sound callous, do not overly comfort your pet when he or she is anxious.  Many pets seek their owners’ attention when they are nervous or afraid; however, when we cuddle them and repeatedly tell them “It’s okay,” we are unwittingly reinforcing the undesirable behavior and actually feeding their anxiety.  It is fine to let your pet sit next to you, but try to refrain from petting or talking to him.  Ignoring any nervous behavior is best.  And, it should go without saying that punishing this type of behavior will only make it worse, so, never punish a fearful pet.  Try not to project fear or anxiety over a storm yourself—dogs often pick up on human emotions, so be calm and confident for your pet. 

                Second, non-medication options like Thundershirts^TM, herbal products like Rescue Remedy^TM, pheromone products and calming exercises or distractions may reduce fear of storms and noises in some dogs.  Desensitization may also be attempted by playing recordings of thunderstorms at low levels and gradually increasing the volume over time such that the dog no longer reacts to the noise.  Providing access to a crate or other small area such as a bathroom or closet with some bedding provides a safe place for your pet to hide and ride out the storm if they wish.  Blocking noise and visual cues from a storm by closing window blinds and using a fan, white noise machine or classical music such as Through a Dog’s Ear^TM can also help.

                Finally, for those seriously affected dogs that destroy things or may harm themselves attempting to escape, a variety of medications are often employed to reduce anxiety.  Drugs like alprazolam, amitriptyline and trazadone are common choices for reducing nervous behavior.  Patton Veterinary Hospital also has a new drug specifically for storm/fireworks phobias under the brand name Sileo.  Ask one of our vets what medications or treatments might be right for your pet so he or she can have a quiet and fear-free summer!

Some good information and training tactics can be found at www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=1+2174&aid=2545

This blog brought to you by the Patton Veterinary Hospital serving Red Lion, York and the surrounding communities.