Fiji has recently experienced daily thunder and lightning storms just to remind us of nature’s awesome power. We were watching one of these spectacles recently and saw a dog running frantically and with speed, down the middle of the street.
There was nothing chasing it. With the next crack of thunder which reverberated into the bone marrow, we saw the dog had made a complete circle and was still running wildly, we understood what the dog was running from.
Fear is a vital response to physical and emotional danger especially when faced with real or perceived life-or-death situations. If people or animals did not feel fear, they would have difficulty protecting themselves from real threats.
Fear out of control is called phobia. Thunderstorm phobia in dogs is a commonly reported problem. Similar anxious behavior is shown in some dogs with loud noises such as fireworks. As we might imagine it is not a pleasant experience to be overwhelmed with fear to the point of being frantic.
SIGNS OF THUNDER- STORM PHOBIA
Watch for behavior changes in your dog when storms or fireworks occur – sometimes before a storm arrives. Your dog suddenly seems anxious, hyperactive, destructive or withdrawn. Many will pace, pant, or quietly whine.
Some are clingy and seek attention. While other dogs will hide, or scramble around trying to hide. Most end either frozen with fear or frantically trying to escape the fear. Some dogs with thunderstorm phobia pass urine or feces inappropriately.
Your dog’s fearful behavior may be subtle at first but can become worse with time, eventually becoming fullblown panic attacks that can become very dangerous. This is what has happened with the dog we saw wildly running down the middle of the street.
There has not yet been a good explanation for the progressive development of fear in most of these dogs. Extremely loud noise, changes in barometric pressure, humidity and even electrical charge in the atmosphere can affect your dog’s senses.
With some dogs there may be an association with a traumatic event though most often we see a traumatic event a result of the irrational fear. There may be an inherited or genetic cause.
PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OPTIONS
There are some things you can do to prevent your dog from reacting adversely to the triggers of thunderstorms and fireworks, or at least minimise the reaction. First of all, never leave your dog outside during storms. Next, examine your own behavior and that of other people in the home. Dogs will react to human anxiety, fear and stress. Do your best to remain relaxed – go about your usual routine. Kind words and comforting your pet is totally OK. It does not encourage bad or anxious behavior, contrary to some bad advice otherwise. Following are ways to help relieve your dog of fear:
• Provide a comfortable hiding place in the quietest part of your home. A crate or box with a soft bed inside and covered with a heavy blanket. Allow your dog to hide – do not pull or force your dog from a hiding spot unless there is destructive behavior. If destructive behavior such as chewing on a wall, redirect the hiding spot and use other modifications as below. Fear can turn into aggression.
• Music or white noise to dampen outside noise might be helpful for some dogs. See Through a Dog’s Ear.com for some interesting information on this.
• Application of “dog appeasing pheromone” (DAP) in the safe room or space your dog gravitates to. Pheromones are natural chemicals produced by animals, that are breathed in, and produce a calming effect. Scientists discovered that female dogs naturally start to produce a calming pheromone a few days after they gave birth which gives newborn puppies the message of constant security, safety, and reassurance. The scientists who performed this study used this natural dog appeasing pheromone to develop the synthetic form sold commercially.
• Some dogs benefit from different types of body wraps which are like a jacket. One example is the “thundershirt” and another is the “storm defender”. They are believed to provide some comfort during times of anxiety, stress, and fear. One of the ways they are thought to assist is in the release of endorphins which are the “feelgood” chemicals produced by the brain.
•Anti-anxiety medication may be prescribed by your vet – especially in cases where dangerous behavior is developing. These always need to be used along with behavior conditioning, and are for short term use only. They do not in and of themselves change behavior, nor are they meant for lifelong use.
If your dog does calm down and stops reacting to the storm, respond with calm praise and rewards because thunderstorm phobia is likely to become worse over time. It is important to take action when you first notice the signs. Do not wait to address the phobia until it is severe, it will be that much harder to reverse. Just as stress is a health risk for humans, the same applies to dogs.
• JO OLVER is a doctor of veterinary medicine. The views expressed are those of the author and do not reflect the views of this newspaper.
