Stitch Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 We have just had another storm go through which again reduced my old girl to a quivering, drooling mess. She almost clings to my legs whenever there is a storm and it is just terrible to see. It started off mildly but as she has gotten older, she has gotten much worse....and those thundersuits don't help either. I have been told by the vets over the years that there wasn't anything that I could treat her with but I live in hope that something new will come out that will lower her stress levels. She suffers from IBD now and storm stress is not doing her any good at all. There's got to be something that will help her???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megan_ Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Have you tried a thundershirt? You need to be careful with drugs for storm phobias as some relax the muscles but the dog remains fully aware and even more terrified as they can't control their body Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bianca.a Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 My female is on Prozac but for when storms hit, she is on Xanax. If I get them into her fast enough she is still stressed but not the horrible mess she would be otherwise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosetta Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 For storm phobias many vets recommend the tranquilliser type of drugs such as valium as they can be used only when a storm is expected - have you tried any of those? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piper Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Have you tried a DAP collar on her or a diffuser near her crate? They would need to be on all the time to help but if the storms are mostly seasonal you could perhaps help the anxiety for the worst time of the year with them? I don't think they would be enough by themselves but combined with something like the thundershirt and being put in a covered crate in the quiet may help? If using a medication do not use Acepromazine (Ace or AZP I think...) as it doesn't stop the mind so can actually increase anxiety and make the phobia worse. Valium or other mind altering meds are the 1s to use. 1 of my old boys Reagan was thunderphobic and it is terrible to see them su upset. It was almost a blessing when he went deaf. He was around in the days before DAP and thundershirts so I used to use a kids long sleeve t-shirt on him and crate him at the end of the passage with the doors closed so he couldn't see any of the flashes and the light off. Those 2 things combined kept hm calm enough that he was not screaming or trying to hurt himself. In the early days before I worked out that method with him he went through a window and on another occasion gave himself a back injury escaping a dog run that we thought he would be safe in. I did end up getting valium for him but never needed it due to the loss of hearing. I was told it peaks from ages 7 to about 10 which was definitely true for Reagan. You have my sympathy, it is awful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smooch Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Thundershirt on its own didn't work for Smooch but a combination of thundershirt and Rescue Remedy did make a big difference as long as I got the Rescue remedy into him early enough and followed it up every 30 min. I check the weather forecast and when storms are forecast I watch the weather map, from this I can work out when to start the Rescue Remedy. Anything that makes a noise scares Smooch. Truck unloading gravel at the hardware store next door sends Smooch under the computer table. Hope you can find something to help your poor old girl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Her Majesty Dogmad Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Can you get some Chinese herbs to give her all the time, to keep her calm? I've had great results with Chinese herbs for different things including nerves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NaturallyWild Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Have you tried any form of therapy to help regulate your dogs nervous system. I utilise TTouch and Craniosacral therapy a lot with dogs with these issues, but acupuncture and some others could also be useful depending on what you could find in your area. Often you can see signs of smallers issues in different situations and helping these change reduces/removes the larger reactions to the storms eg finds it difficult to walk on floorboards/slippery/unstable surfaces, sensitivity to being touched around the head or rear end (so far all dogs I have seen with sound phobias have this), velcro dog or just general lack of confidence, digestive upsets, etc. The thundershirts developed out of the TTouch work and have I high level of success for many dogs but obviously not all. Using body wraps in different configurations can make a big change for those that the shirts did not. Eg putting a alice band/headband over your dogs forhead could help (you don't want it on tight though and if they try to take it off let them - they need to feel safe.) Someone who can take you through all of these different possibilities should hopefully be able to make a change. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch Posted March 31, 2013 Author Share Posted March 31, 2013 (edited) Thank you all for your replies. I have tried the thundershirt but it doesn't even scratch the surface of helping. I have tried TT etc. with absolutely no results at all. Accupuncture I haven't tried however I would not be able to get accupuncture in time when a storm was approaching. She is NOT nervous or uptight at any other time, she is actually full of confidence in all situations and is a very social dog, it is only when storms are approaching or here that she falls to pieces. I have DAP and it doesn't do a thing for her. I also tried it in conjunction with the thundershirt and all it seemed to do was make her more anxious. Maybe another trip to the vet is in order to see if there is anything new but whatever it is it would have to work within 15-30 minutes as we don't always get a lot of warning. Edited March 31, 2013 by Stitch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Maybe just keep the dog on a double dose of Pet Ark Calm and consider crate training so the dog has what it believes is a safe den during storms? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 ear muffs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piper Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Valium works quite quickly apparently. As I said I never used it but I was to give it at onset of storm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BC Crazy Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 (edited) I have tried everything with Stella who has been storm phobic since puppy hood & is a very reactive & nervous dog. I have her on meds daily now. One if them is Kalma & while I feel they help her a lot coping with life & her reactivity, if there a storm coming poor Stella goes to pieces I find that her Thundershirt & meds seem to help but she is still an anxious mess. I have put her in her crate but her stress levels increased to the point I thought she was going to injure herself. She just sits the storm through with OH & myself. Sorry am of no help but totally sympathise with you. It is horrible to watch them in such a distressed state. Good luck with her. Edited March 31, 2013 by BC Crazy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch Posted March 31, 2013 Author Share Posted March 31, 2013 Unfortunately all those drops like Rescue Remedy don't work either....I am presuming that Pet Ark Calm is one of those??? Valium sounds interesting Piper, I will enquire about that at the vet. Crate training...all my dogs are crate trained in fact I sometimes just have to put her in her crate during a storm as she runs around so frantically if I don't, and she drools over everything. She seems to prefer the crate but I have had her in the crate, with the thundershirt, with me sitting beside her, sprayed DAP, rescue remedy or similar and she is still a mess. After the storm is over she drinks and drinks to restore hydration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BC Crazy Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 (edited) Kalma is a Valium based medication. Pet calm is a herbal type medication from memory. We tried it & it didn't work for us. We have tried lots if things. Rescue Remedy didn't work either unfortunately. My dogs are crate trained but Stella just seems to be most comfortable next to me. She is a toy sucker so she sucks away franticly. I don't engage her & nor does she want me to. My dogs are crate trained but Stella in bad weather just doesn't settle & her anxiety levels rise to the point where she thrashes around & bangs her head Edited March 31, 2013 by BC Crazy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smooch Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 ear muffs? pers this is what I would like to try with Smooch, can not find any in Aus. had a look at over seas but very expensive shipping, I have also tried to modify a human pair but so far can't get them to sit properly so basically have to sit there and hold them on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosetta Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 None of the herbal, natural type remedies worked for my anxious dog including RR, Calm, Tranquil etc. I think they are waste of money actually and might only work on the most mild cases. For dogs with real problems you do really need the pharmaceuticals IMO. You need to try them before they are needed to see what effect they have as strangely some calmatives can have the opposite effect on some dogs. I am surprised your vet did not suggest Valium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smooch Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 Just found a site with reasonable postage on the dog ear muffs. Just ordered a pair. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002CZQ1T0/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=1278548962&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B009G4CQ3K&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0QM3XDJ6J720AW6Q1VA7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BC Crazy Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 (edited) None of the herbal, natural type remedies worked for my anxious dog including RR, Calm, Tranquil etc. I think they are waste of money actually and might only work on the most mild cases. For dogs with real problems you do really need the pharmaceuticals IMO. You need to try them before they are needed to see what effect they have as strangely some calmatives can have the opposite effect on some dogs. I am surprised your vet did not suggest Valium. Yes Rosetta, we did try pretty much all the natural remedies to no avail as well. Totally agree with you in that they would probably only work on the less severe cases. And it most certainly is trail & error with the pharmaceuticals. We tried a few different types/doses before getting the desired results. Every dog is different & react differently to medication. Smooch, those headphones look really good. I will be giving my girl a go with a pair of those for sure. I did try cotton wool in her ears to try & muffel the noise a bit but that lasted all of 2 seconds. She just shook her head & it came out Hopefully I can get her to leave the head phones on. Edited April 1, 2013 by BC Crazy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch Posted April 1, 2013 Author Share Posted April 1, 2013 Ear muffs wouldn't work for my girl who knows when a storm is 50klm away. I tried plugging her ears with cotton wool...it made absolutely no difference. She must feel the change in atmospheric pressure?? As you say, none of the herbal remedies have worked. Yes, valium seems to be the way to go, unless there is something new that works better?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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