Dogs' anxiety over rain and/or thunder and how to help

[MarblesMom]

The pacing.  The drooling and shaking.  It is just rain.

When the thunder/lightning starts, Marbles loses her mind.  She goes UNDER the bed she does not really fit under.

Aside from a ThunderShirt, any other advice to calm her?

Thank you.

[urban teacher]

I wish I knew. Heard CDs of storms help to desensitize.

[church_of_dog]

Valerian is known to calm animals.  Be warned, though, that for about 25% of dogs it backfires and makes them more anxious instead of less.  So try it first during some non-crucial time to make sure your girl is one of the ones it's effective on.

Don't know what else.  Maybe give her a place to hide where she actually fits -- kinda like her own hidden cave/nest and just let her ride it out?  That's a tough one...  Poor girl...

[MarblesMom]

Usually Melatonin given before a bad storm helps - but this is just a mild spring rain.

Yes, I am going to make her a "dog cave" (akin to a man cave, but without the $$ decorations) so she can chill there.

Thanks!

[GreyhoundFan]

I sympathize with you. My beloved Mandy was a world-class thunderphobe. She also had terrible separation anxiety (the conditions are often seen together as they are related) and she was terrified of fireworks. What worked best for her was a multi-pronged approach. She was on the long-term medication Amitriptyline (generic Elavil). We also used a DAP diffuser in the room where we spend the most time. I used a thundershirt. Actually, I wrapped her in an old t-shirt of mine and used duct tape to make it snug, like a thundershirt. Finally, we added Alprazolam (generic Xanax). Those four things together made it bearable. She was never happy during storms, but it stopped her from the hysterical panting, the heart beating out of her chest, the whale eyes, the drooling, and the pacing. She would just be nervous, not hysterical, once we settled on this approach.

Xanax is supposedly the only med that can stop a panic attack once it begins. It takes effect quickly (about 15-20 min) and leaves the system fairly quickly (about 4 hours). There is a huge dosing range. With both that and the Amitriptyline, it is best to start it when you will be home, so you can see if there is an adverse reaction. As with any medication, either one can cause the opposite reaction -- nervousness and anxiety instead of stopping those conditions. It is imperative to work with your vet to ensure you have the right dose for your dog.

Some dogs like to lay in a shower and/or tub during a storm. I tried that with Mandy, it didn't help at all.

The one thing I beg you not to try is ACE (Acepromazine). Some vets push it, though I don't know why. It basically paralyzes the dog, so he or she can't pace or act nervous, but they remain fully aware and panicked. I think that is horrifying. I wouldn't want that done to me, so I won't do it to my dog.

Some dogs do well on Clomicalm (Clomipramine). It made Mandy act strangely, so we stopped it quickly. But, just like human medications, each dog is different, and that one may work for Marbles. Both Clomipramine and Amitriptyline take time to build up in the system; Alprazolam takes effect almost immediately.

In my quest to try *anything*, I actually consulted an animal communicator, to see if that helped. It was entertaining, but didn't make a lick of difference.

Please feel free to message me if you need to "talk". I understand the distress with thunderphobia.

[MarblesMom]

I got her a ThunderShirt  - amazing results so far.  She didn't fight it being put on, didn't try to eat it/pull it off.  She has been pretty calm.

I gave her a Melatonin also.  She was pretty calm tonight during storms - she napped on the kitchen floor (odd) but close to me.  No drooling, minimal pacing, at least so far.

Thanks for the advice on meds - next time we are at the vet, I will ask him what we can step up to if Melatonin isn't enough (and summer storms can be wicked!)

ACE sounds like hell on wheels.  If it is not something I would want to experience, I certainly wouldn't make Marbles go thru it!  Thanks for the heads up on that one!

 

[DaffyDill]

So thunder shirts do work?? My older cat Mia (she's 5) is terrified of thunder too, and scurries around the house close to the ground, looking for somewhere to hide. My kitten Callie (8 months) just watches her like "Are you mad? What you so scared of?" and then, if we don't act quickly enough, jumps on Mia's head for good measure. 

Our beautiful old labrador Piper who we lost to illness nearly a year ago, was terrified of storms too, and we always wonder whether Mia learned that behaviour from her, as we had Piper first, then got Mia when Piper was 5-ish.

[MarblesMom]

So far, so good with the TS, @DaffyDill.  Wish I got one years ago.

And I wish I was even clever enough as @GreyhoundFan to just make my own!

I wonder if TS's are as effective on felines. 

[DaffyDill]

I might have a go at making my own like @GreyhoundFandid, and see if that help, then if it does, maybe look at buying one

Thanks for the info MM  

[MarblesMom]

Well Houdini reincarnated into Marbles... she got OUT of her TS.  The neck part got loose, and then she was back to shaking and naked.  Major ++ that she didn't try to eat it.

I put it back on her tonight, after the pacing started back up, and secured it with a safety pin.  Duct tape might be the next step.

And a Melatonin.  It is just rain and wind, no thunder, but she is freaked out.

 

 

[MarblesMom]

Her groomer suggested cutting the crown out of  ski cap and sliding it over her ears.  I did so. 

Now, she looks like some sort of street waif, but she is calm.  I will take a pic so you can all snicker.

[Shadoewolf]

Benadryl with the active ingredient diphenhydramine.  It can be mildly sedating.  The vet I worked for used to recommend it to keep pets calm while traveling.

 

[GreyhoundFan]

14 hours ago, MarblesMom said:

Her groomer suggested cutting the crown out of  ski cap and sliding it over her ears.  I did so. 

Now, she looks like some sort of street waif, but she is calm.  I will take a pic so you can all snicker.

I'm definitely getting a mental image. I hope you will share a picture of poor Marbles.

I'm sorry she got out of the thundershirt.

It's so tough when they are frightened. I would just keep saying, "please don't be afraid, nothing will hurt you." But she just couldn't help herself.

Please give Marbles some gentle ear scritches from me.

[ALM7]

This works with my Lab.  He's afraid of thunder, but loves to "dance" with me to music. I started turning up the music a few times and it worked. Basically a redirection technique. That being said, when we go underground due to tornado warnings, it doesn't work. In Oklahoma, we seem to spend a lot of time underground this time of year lol. Bottom-line a form of redirection may work.  

[47of74]

I remember one of our dogs on the farm who wasn't afraid of a damn thing...except thunderstorms.  He wasn't mean at all, just a very clam and unflappable guy.  But when the storms came around he'd hide, that was the one thing he was scared of.

[MarblesMom]

@GreyhoundFan here is Marbles in her thunder-gear.

 

 

[GreyhoundFan]

1 hour ago, MarblesMom said:

@GreyhoundFan here is Marbles in her thunder-gear.

 

 

Aw, Marbles is a cutie. I'm glad the thundershirt and headband are helping. We had a huge series of thunderstorms with house-rocking thunder and softball sized hail recently. Sammy just slept through it. I kept thinking about what a basket case Mandy would have been. I hate seeing pups being scared.

[PennySycamore]

I need to try to get the Thundershirt I bought for Lucy on Trinket.  Lucy's gone to the Bridge so she doesn't need it now, but Trinket could use it.  Covering her ears is worth trying as well.  

[Lillybee]

My rescued greyhound, Isis was also terrified of storms and fireworks.She would shake so much and try to sit on my lap. Benedryl did take the edge off, if I gave it to her before the storm.

[MarblesMom]

@Lillybee Benedryl does NOTHING for Marbles.  I give her a Melatonin, which chills her out a little bit.  I just have to time it while watching the radar - it seems to take about an hour to kick in.

I have heard Benedryl works wonders, though!

[AlysonRR]

On 4/21/2016 at 7:57 PM, MarblesMom said:

Aside from a ThunderShirt, any other advice to calm her?

Our dog is fine with thunderstorms, but goes nuts when left alone. We find that a crate has helped a lot - when he's in his crate, he knows he's safe and that we're coming back. He curls up and relaxes (hopefully for the length of our absence).

Maybe it would help? Maybe one of the plastic airport ones or wooden fancy ones? I don't think a wire one like we have would help - too open - but something isolated. 

One of the best indoor dog kennels I've ever seen was in a new house build - they built it under the stairs, equipped with fan and light and comfy bed, with an easy-to-clean floor and attractive door. It was really cute, but it might help with dogs who are frightened like ours.

[GreyhoundFan]

@MarblesMom I don't know if you've seen this, but there is a newly-approved drug that is specifically for canine noise aversion. It blocks norepinephine, which calms them down. I haven't tried it, as my current pup isn't upset by thunder or fireworks, but the things I'm reading in different places have been promising.

[MarblesMom]

Thanks @GreyhoundFan!  I will ask the vet about this.