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Most dogs seem to tolerate storms, but others show obvious
signs of anxiety:
What can you do about it? There is no single
successful approach to this type of fear. What works for your dog may
not help your friend's. These are simply suggestions to consider.
The important thing is to do something to break the fear cycle. Fear
can breed greater fear, and some dogs experience a serious escalation of
anxiety. Break the cycle before it gets really dangerous. |
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SOME TREATMENT OPTIONS
Rescue Remedy - a Bach
Flower homeopathic remedy - this is a mild, anti-anxiety, natural medication
that is given either directly in the mouth or in the drinking water. It can
also be used for separation anxiety, traveling, company coming, etc. In my
experience, it may help mild anxieties, but if you have a dog in full blown
thunder phobia, it will probably not be enough by itself. In Nashville, it can
be purchased at Wild Oats, and always on line. The dose is 1 drop
per 5 pounds up to 20 pounds. Above 20 pounds, add 1 drop per 10 pounds.
Thus, a 70 pound dog would get 9 drops. Put it directly in the
mouth, wait 10 minutes and repeat if necessary.
Melatonin - this is another natural
medication that may be a bit more effective in some dogs that Rescue
Remedy. It can be dosed at 1.5 mg per dose for dogs under 30 pounds, and 3 mg
per dose for dogs over 30 pounds. Repeat, if needed, 2-3 times a day. I
would not recommend continuous dosing for weeks at a time, but during a stormy
day or two, you can do it for the duration. Again, it may not be enough for the
severe thunder-phobe. It can be purchased in the vitamin/herbal section of drug
stores and grocery stores.
Benadryl®
(diphenhydramine) - this is an over-the-counter antihistamine that causes
drowsiness. It's not an anti-anxiety drug, but with milder problems it may
allow your dog to sleep through the storm. It can be dosed at 1-2 mg per pound.
Adjust the dose down if it makes your dog too sleepy.
Desensitization to the sound - you'll
hear about buying a recording of a storm and playing it at gradually increasing
volume to try to desensitize the dog to the sound. Well, I have yet to see it
succeed, but if you do it, let me know what you think. Very time consuming. In
theory, a good idea.
Acepromazine - this is
the old time
veterinary remedy. It's a tranquilizer and causes immobilization or mild
sedation. There is no anti-anxiety component to the drug - it simply keeps
the dogs quiet. Mentally, they probably still are aware of the storm.
It's helpful with some, and has been used also with separation anxiety.
Xanax®
(alprazolam) - this is a true
anti-anxiety medication and is generally safe to give to most dogs including
greyhounds. It can be given at a low dose over a long period of time, or at a
higher dose for a brief period. It is only available through your
veterinarian. It is the most effective drug I've seen for storms.
Unfortunately, even that doesn't help all dogs.
Clomicalm® (clomipramine) -
another prescription medication that can be used long term for the entire
season. This is also prescribed for separation anxiety and some obsessive
compulsive disorders.
Anxiety wrap - This coat provides light and comforting
pressure. Here is a link to one of many on-line resources offering the
coat:
Anxiety Wrap Coat
Storm Defender
Cape - this sounds like voodoo but the success with this is reported to be
pretty good. It's a custom made dog coat made of material to block the static
associated with an electrical storm. The theory is that dogs feel the static in
a storm before the storm even arrives, and that sensation severely heightens
their fear. You put the coat on before the storm and many dogs remain calm
during the storm. You can read more about it from the link. Many happy
customers.
Dryer sheet - along the same line of
thinking re the static electricity, you can rub your dog down with a dryer sheet
to remove some of the static from their coat.
 
Safe havens - some dogs
just need a safe place to hide. If they are there, they feel safe. It may be a
closet, under the bed, in a tub, in a crate, wherever. It may make you
uncomfortable to see your dog hiding like that, but if it gives him a sense of
security to be there, you should let him stay.
Your own behavior - this
is hard. We hate to see our much loved pets so terrified. It's instinctive to
cuddle them, pet them, reassure them with sweet talk. Don't do that! There is
very strong belief that you are actually reinforcing the behavior when you do
that. You should be calm, reassuring only in your demeanor, go about your
normal routine. If you "reward" your dog with extra attention, you may
actually be training him to keep doing it. I know it's a very hard idea to
accept, but try it!
This page last updated
12/09/2007
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