Thunderstorm Phobia!
By Zoe Forward, DVM, DABVP (canine/feline)
We might love a good storm, but our dog might not.
We suspect there are genetic factors that underlie a dog’s susceptibility to thunderstorm phobia. In people genetics contribute to fears. Studies show that identical phobias (e.g. fear of heights) will develop in identical twins raised completely apart. However, negative experiences can clearly trigger the development of fears. Specifically, personal experience and observational learning (witnessing another fearful dog or person) may be involved.
Storm phobia responses are not just physical, but also emotional and physiological. Physical responses include attempts at escape (flight), finding a safe place, shadowing the owner or hiding. Affected dogs may also pace, pant and whine or bark. Emotional responses include the immeasurable in a dog—the subjective experience of terror. Physiological responses include activation of the autonomic and endocrine systems triggering high heart rate, pupil dilation, salivation, sweating (paws only) and increase in stress hormones.
The Static Charge Theory. Storm phobia doesn’t happen overnight, though. Many owners will comment their dogs first became afraid of storms when less than 1 or 2 years of age, but most do not seek help from veterinarians (or veterinary behaviorists) until the dog is considerably older (usually between 5 and 9 years old). The reason is that most owners say their dog used just be apprehensive, but something later on exacerbated this phobia to have other problem (such as those noted above). Some people can even name a particular date when things changed.
So, why would apprehension change to true
terror? There are a lot of theories. Clearly
something unusual happened during that particular storm to make it different
from all the rest. One interesting theory by veterinary behaviorist Dr.
Nicholas Dodman is that dogs might have received a painful static electric
shock during that one triggering storm.
Many fearful dogs will seek safety by climbing into a sink, bath,
Jacuzzi, shower pedestal, or squeeze themselves behind toilet tanks or up
against metal radiators or pipes during storms. Presumably they have found by
trial and error that there is some degree of protection in these locations. All
of these locations represent electrical grounds that would dissipate any
built-up static charge. Owners often remark that they sometimes get static
shocks from their dogs if they touch them during a storm. We know static fields
build up during storms and some animals become statically charged during storms.
Mast tips of sailing ships can glow with “St. Anthony’s Fire” during storms;
airplane wings glow with static discharge for the same reason when planes fly
though electric storms; and the horns of Texas longhorn cattle can glimmer at
the tips like candles during thunderstorms, often heralding a stampede. How to Treat Storm Phobia?
Desensitization doesn’t work well. Desensitization is one of the key components of behavior therapy for pets. We try to make the dog less sensitive to the problem/situation that stress the dog out. You might, therefore, think that playing a CD of thunderstorms should help, but it won’t. Thunderstorm fear is complex and not due simply to the sound of thunder that, but also due to darkening skies, rain, wind and some say perhaps changes in barometric or static electric fields. Even odors may be indirectly involved; for example, oxides of nitrogen or ozone produced by lightning during storms. Many storm-phobic dogs are not frightened of other loud noises and the reverse is also true. Many storm-phobic dogs sense that storms are on the way well before we do, presumably picking up some subtle cues that humans are incapable of perceiving. Whether these cues involve changes in barometric pressure, static electric fields, odors or some other prompt has yet to be determined.
Second, the key rule of desensitization therapy is to eliminate and/or control exposure to the feared stimulus (storms, in this case). That is tricky to achieve in most geographical locations in the United States.
What does work:
1. Create a safe room for your dog to go during storms. Find a safe place where the dog can go to get away from all aspects of the storm. A basement, if available, is a great place to start. The safe place should have small or no windows so the storm cannot be witnessed by the dog. Even small windows should be blocked off using cardboard inserts or fitted with thick, lined curtains. Basements have the advantage of being semi-subterranean, insulated against sound by think concrete walls and surrounding soil. Equip the safe room with a solid sided crate (door open), water, food, toys and treats. Turn up the lights to mask stray lightning flashes that might escape the window shielding. Play classical music at a reasonable volume to drown out any remote sounds of thunder.
Introduce your dog to the safe place during a non-storm time and have some fun there playing. Later, he may take himself to the safe place when he first senses an impending storm. A doggy door may have to be fitted to make the room accessible at all times, even when you’re not there.
2. Use a
storm jacket. There are many storm jackets on the market. Studies
show they help in 50% of dogs. The Storm Defender has an anti-static lining
and the new model is tight fitting, too, delivering a sort of ambulatory hug. Put
on the jacket at first hint of a storm approaching. The AnxietyWrap is another therapeutic jacket that works by swaddling pressure alone. Another storm jacket is the Thundershirt. Finally, a Calming Cap may be helpful in some cases
to attenuate visual aspects of storms.3. Medication. Of course, if all else fails, medication can save the day. Reconcile (Fluoxetine) is a first choice “background medication” to stabilize storm-phobic dogs’ mood during the thunderstorm season. Dogs are given this drug once daily throughout storm season. Sometimes another drug can be added in during especially violent storms. Xanax (alprazolam) is often used for this purpose but some dogs might have an unacceptable high level of paradoxical excitement reactions to this anxiolytic drug. Other choices might include Klonopin (clonazepam) or clonidine.
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