Crash, Boom, Flash- How to Help your Pet During Thunderstorms!

Spring and summer can be challenging seasons for our four-legged family members, as this is often when we have thunderstorms rolling through the Queen City! Animals have enhanced sensory systems exceeding that of their humans - this heightened awareness can make experiencing weather events more intense for our pets. Imagine how the sounds of heavy rain, rumbling thunder, and gusts of wind could be more frightening for them. Flashes of lightning, a dark sky, and the rapid movement of plants or trees might be more startling.  During a storm, many different senses can trigger your pet's 'fight or flight' response causing the release of large amounts of adrenaline! Signs of stress that you may notice in your pet can include:

• Crying, whining/vocalizing, drooling, or panting
• Shaking, pacing, and hiding
• Wide eyes (where you can see the whites), lowered tail, and pinned back ears
• Accidental house soiling or destructive behavior

Sooooo, how can we help our pets during a storm?

1) Counter-conditioning & positive reinforcement: Thunderstorms are often quite loud and some pets may have sensitivities that develop as early as 9 weeks of age! This fear can develop into a noise phobia over time. With desensitization training to these sounds, we can help reduce the stress our pets experience from storms during future weather events. This involves playing the sounds of a thunder storm at low volumes while rewarding them with treats when they do not react with fear and maintain a calm energy. Gradually, over time, you should be able to increase the volume as long as your pet is not showing signs of stress. Similar to desensitization training, classic conditioning can be another option to try. This type of training pairs a negative feeling/experience with a positive one. Offering high-value treats or a favorite toy can help develop a positive association when storm noises are heard. 

2) Bring them inside to a safe space! If your pet is outside before a storm starts, bring them inside right away. Offer them a safe place to escape to, such as a crate or their favorite room in the house, to provide relief and alleviate the panic of needing to escape. Playing background noises from a radio/tv can help distract and reduce the noises of heavy rain and thunder outside.  Try to be physically present with your pet during a storm if possible to provide extra reassurance.

3) Calming pheromones: these are scents that our pets can smell but we can't that help to reduce fear and anxiety.  We use Adaptil for dogs and Feliway Optimum for cats.  These scents come in forms such as collars, sprays, or diffusers you can plug in around the house. Thunder shirts can also passively provide comfort through gentle compression, which is very similar to swaddling an infant.

4) Calming Supplements:  oral powders such as Calming Care for cats and dogs can be used all throughout summer season to provide daily support.  Zylkene Plus is another supplement that can be given for support both in the short and long term throughout thunderstorm season.

5) Anti-Anxiety Prescription Medications: Finally, if the above tools are not helping to reduce fear and anxiety during storms, the use of prescription medications may be needed such as Reconcile (fluoxetine) or clomipramine (clomicalm). Schedule a consultation with one of our experienced veterinarians to determine the most appropriate and effective medication for your pet.