Thunderstorm and/or Fireworks Anxiety in Dogs
Thunderstorm &/or Fireworks anxiety in dogs is a truly a challenging issue for many of our pets! The sharp, loud concussion may actually be quite painful to their more sensitive ears. Dogs may also be much more attuned to the static electricity and barometric changes that occur during both thunderstorms and fireworks, and these may trigger an evolutionary (limbic brain) terror. Two of my own three dogs really struggle with both storms and fireworks, so I certainly understand how hard this can be on both pet and owner.
Your veterinarian can help! There is no one simple answer to help soothe a pet terrified by thunder, lightning, or fireworks. There are many options that can be tried, and each dog is an individual case.
Natural methods are always preferred! Our favorite is an oral nutriceutical called Composure by the VetriScience company. They have an OTC version and we are most impressed with their Composure Pro. It has four naturally occurring active anti-anxiety ingredients in a soft, chewable tablet. It works best given an hour before an event and can be given twice daily. It is very safe, often produces a bit of drowsiness, and we feel it is about 75-80% successful in reducing anxiety symptoms. It can also be used for cats.
The Thundershirt is our favorite acupressure-like anxiety wrap. Useful for much more than thunderstorm terror, this jersey cotton material doggie jacket, when fitted properly, applies a natural “big hug” that calms and soothes many of our patients. Thundershirt has a great website and a money back guarantee that they really do stand behind. We have a few returned, but the majority of pet owners feel that a Thundershirt helps reduce fear symptoms.
Pheromones are scent mediated hormones that elicit a biological response. A man-made imitation of a naturally occurring scent hormone that calms anxiety in nursing puppies is called Adaptil. Their collar option is the most effective for this product and would be best applied a few days to a week before a fearful event. So you would have to plan ahead for like the 4th of July or perhaps the April /May thunderstorm season. We see some successful responses to Adaptil but feel it is best used as an adjunct with other strategies.
Masking sounds, soothing music, and behavioral modification techniques all make sense and may all be helpful as well. Unfortunately most of us have not invested the time and consistency of training to really take advantage of these methods. A trained pet behaviorist can tailor a program for your individual needs. Even so moving a pet to a more soundproof area of our home and turning on soothing music, or a TV, and possibly distracting with a chew toy or food puzzle may help … a bit. Combining these things with Composure &/or a Thundershirt will often provide significant relief for most pets.
And then there are some medications that can be prescribed by your DVM. Much as we’d like to avoid psychoactive drugs, they do have their place for some of our patients. When deemed suitable, the most commonly used anti-anxiety prescription medication is alprazolam. This is Xanax. Related to valium, alprazolam may be helpful, especially if given an hour before a thunderstorm or fireworks event. Alprazolam may cause excitement in a small percentage of pets so we ask owners to test a dose before it is actually needed. Like our preferred option Composure Pro, alprazolam is usually given on an as needed or episodic schedule rather than as a maintenance dose.
These are the main options currently in our thunderstorm, lightning, fireworks anxiety toolbox. We’ll be happy to work with you and your pets to find what works best for your situation. At American Animal Hospital we care for your pets as if they were our own. ~ Dr. Pat