Storm Phobias

Red Lion Has Had Many Summer Storms. Is Your Pet Afraid of Thunder?        

This has been one wet, stormy summer in York County!  Many dogs (and some cats) are afraid of thunderstorms.  Some pets are a just little nervous or clingy, while others go into full-blown panic mode.   So, what can you do if your furry friend hates York’s monsoon season?  We get this question a lot at Patton Veterinary Hospital.  Read on for some tips!

Of course, if your pet has a severe phobia or just needs some occasional help during July Fourth fireworks, anti-anxiety drugs may be useful and even necessary to prevent your dog or cat from harming him or herself.  However, there are also many non-medical options for treating minor storm phobias.

If your pet just likes to burrow under a blanket like my Stanley used to do, or lie in his crate or hide in the basement or bathroom during a storm, it is best just to allow him to go where he is most comfortable.  It’s human nature to want to make our pets feel better when they’re nervous, but telling your pet “It’s OK” and giving attention during anxious behavior can actually reinforce the behavior and make it worse over time.  If your pet wants to sit next to you, it is OK to gently pet her, but try to avoid speaking to or cuddling her.  The more attention you give during this anxious state, the more it feeds the anxious behavior.  Sitting quietly and basically ignoring the behavior is the best thing you can do.

We doctors at Patton like the Adaptil™ pheromone product for anxious dogs and Feliway™ for cats.  These pheromones are meant to promote a calm environment.  They don’t work on all patients, but they may help to lower the level of anxiety and are worth a try.  There are sprays, collars and wall “plug-ins” available.  The ThunderShirt™ is also helpful for some dogs.  This tight-fitting vest works on the swaddling principle that a swaddled baby (2 or 4 legged!) feels more secure and calm if tightly wrapped.  Herbal preparations such as Rescue Remedy brand or similar products that contain mixtures of calming herbs can also reduce anxiety in some pets.

Teaching your dog to go to a special area and lie calmly, known as a “settle exercise” or using a desensitization technique of playing storm recordings at gradually increasing volumes are more time consuming methods of treating fear of storms, and take much longer to work but can be tried if you have the time and patience.

Of course, there are those pets who have severe anxiety during thunderstorms or when they hear other loud noises.  We have had frantic patients who have jumped out of second story windows, busted through storm doors and destroyed furniture, drywall and other items during storms, especially if they are alone during a storm.  Obviously, serious harm to your pet and to your home can result from these behaviors and these patients may need the help of a trainer or behavioral specialist and/or medication to alleviate severe noise phobias.

I hope you find these tips helpful if you are one of the “lucky” ones who have a pet with a fear of storms.  Please feel free to call for more information or schedule an appointment, especially if your pet has a severe noise phobia.

Stay dry, everyone!