thunderstorms and a terrified dog

[blob]

Our dog (former racing greyhound) is a timid, more nervous type and she's always been scared of thunderstorms. But lately her fear seems to be getting worse and now sometimes she gets worked up just from hard rain even if there is no thunder or lightening. In November she moved from my DH's apartment into my house after we got married. So, it's possible that the increased number of windows or sounds of the house make the storms scarier in here than in the apartment.

As we're heading into summer, which is thunderstorm season here in the south, I'd love to find a good solution to help ease her anxiety.

We've tried a thundershirt, but it makes only a very marginal difference. She also has a prescription for anxiety medication but when storms are really bad she still gets upset even with the meds and then once the storm stops she's totally drugged out and won't eat or drink until everything wears off. We've tried both with the full recommended dose and half and the results are both too scared still with storms and too zonked after.

So, I was would love to find another solution. Have others had success with helping severe thunderstorm anxiety with dogs? I've considered CBD oil or I know people use hormones for cats with good results and maybe there's an equivalent for dogs? Open to any suggestions.

[exvet]

I have clients who swear by CBD oil. I used to have a dog who was as scared or more so due to thunderstorms. Unfortunately for the poor dog I lived in Kansas City and she suffered terribly. Nothing available, at the time, worked for her. At the age of 8 I had to put her down due to the destruction (to herself, objects and other animals) she caused as a result. If you're using trazodone, alprazolam just periodically, or Ace, all can have heavy sedative 'after' effects. What I have found most effective for such cases is putting them on fluoxetine (prozac) as a maintenance medication daily for the 'season' and when and if needed add trazodone (often a much lower dose) for really bad storms. I also have the owners use Adaptil collars and/or plug ins. For the really dedicated owners I give them protocols for conditioning exercises for noise phobias in the hope that the need for medications lessens and can be cut back/discontinued. The purpose of the exercises is to teach the dogs coping skills along with becoming tolerant of the noise.

[StraightForward]

I wonder if something like this would work if you can put them on during the worse storms? https://www.mypilotstore.com/MyPilotSto ... rgQAvD_BwE

During 4th of July fireworks, I would pop my noise canceling headphones on my dog and watch YouTube videos with him (he loves watching animal videos) and it helped a lot, though he was never stressed to the point that some dogs get. Now he's gone pretty deaf, so thunder doesn't seem to affect him as much as it used to.

[heddylamar]

When mom moved to Memphis and bought a house with a metal roof, her formerly chill dog became terrified of storms. Mom taught her to get in the bathtub, and it became t-bug's chill spot when anything distressing was going on ... like a crate.

Since you already crate the greyhound, can you try something like draping a heavy turnout rug over the crate, so it becomes an insulated little cave for her to hide in?

[blob]

Since you already crate the greyhound, can you try something like draping a heavy turnout rug over the crate, so it becomes an insulated little cave for her to hide in?

She already has a heavy blanket over the back and sides of the crate, but maybe covering the front as well would help with storms.


SF, those are interesting! and i'm sure if she couldn't hear she would be ok!

Thanks, exvet, all really helpful advice/things to consider. Thankfully she doesn't seem to do much danger to others when she's anxious just trembles and cries--but it's awful to see

[Koolkat]

They use something as simple as cotton balls in racehorses' ears........................you could desensitize her to them (or whatever you opt for) previously so she doesn't associate them specifically with heavy weather coming in.

[blob]

They use something as simple as cotton balls in racehorses' ears........................you could desensitize her to them (or whatever you opt for) previously so she doesn't associate them specifically with heavy weather coming in.

good idea!

[SnowHorse]

You might want to try desensitizing the dog for thunder sounds - look up "desensitizing sounds for dogs thunder" on youtube. It takes some work, but if done right, can help your dog. Also google it, you will find good info on it.

Disclaimer - I've never done it.

I do have a cat who hides under the TV in a cabinet in t-storms because the TV sound drowns some of the thunder. Not same as desensitizing, but she has found what helps her.

[Domica]

TTouch advocate a wrapping technique to calm dogs, this website also has some info:
https://www.k9ofmine.com/diy-thundershirt/