Author Topic: Help with thunderstorm reaction!  (Read 24628 times)

Offline pyr4me

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Help with thunderstorm reaction!
« on: June 09, 2008, 07:13:39 pm »
Jenny is absolutely terrified of thunder and lightening storms...she paces, pants, tries to hide, paws hysterically at doors, etc. It's terrible. I have the TFLN homeopathic remedy which I've given her with some success if it's just a little rain, but if it's a true thunderstorm, then it doesn't seem to help at all.

I know not to reinforce her behavior, but she's also hard to ignore. She won't lay down in the room where I am (where she usually sleeps) and tries to hide in small spaces where she couldn't possible fit. Two nights ago she was practically breaking down the door with the cat door in it and was trying to stick her head in the cat door! We couldn't just ignore it because we were afraid that she was going to either hurt herself or damage the door. Summer is right around the corner, which means more thunderstorms. Help!! What can I do for her?
Jennifer

Tipper (8 1/2 yrs) Golden Retriever/Sheltie mix
Jenny (4 yrs) Great Pyrenees
Gabriel (14 yrs) Sealpoint Himalayan cat
Melanie (11 yrs) Domestic medium hair cat

"You think dogs will not be in heaven? I tell you, they will be there long before any of us."
~Robert Lewis Steven

Offline TannerW

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Re: Help with thunderstorm reaction!
« Reply #1 on: June 09, 2008, 07:39:51 pm »
We had a dog that did those exact same things during thunderstorms.  If your dog is in a kennel or left alone inside when you're not there, it's a disaster waiting to happen.

So what we had to do was have the vet prescribe some Acepromazine to sedate her (just a little blue pill).  The one side effect was that it made her very irritable the next morning, but her temporary moodiness was worth preventing her from hurting us or herself.

I'd recommend calling the vet ASAP and explaining your situation.  They'll probably put her on some Ace.

Offline seaherons

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Re: Help with thunderstorm reaction!
« Reply #2 on: June 09, 2008, 07:42:02 pm »
We can certainly relate to your woes right now.  Our latest combination is  using TFLN with the Pyr sized Anxiety Wrap for Cirra during thunderstorms.  Previously used a snug T shirt with vet wrap to try to provide slight pressure and thought it helped, so we bought the Wrap.  Her reactions are still present but less intense and she recovers MUCH more rapidly.  She had a "hangover effect" from using fast acting Melatonin, so we tried the TFLN, which does work better with the wrap than without.  Of course, Cirra does have a "personal assistant" with her, so we do restrain her from the sliding patio door using an easy walk harness if need be.  Just don't want her pulling that hard on her neck.
Cirra flips the lock on the door and slides the door open, so we have to bar the door.  She used to lift that out but has forgotten that trick for now!  Sooooo.......d on't know if the Anxiety Wrap would be a possibility for you, but it does help Cirra somewhat.

Offline People Whisperer

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Re: Help with thunderstorm reaction!
« Reply #3 on: June 09, 2008, 07:42:19 pm »

So what we had to do was have the vet prescribe some Acepromazine to sedate her (just a little blue pill).  The one side effect was that it made her very irritable the next morning, but her temporary moodiness was worth preventing her from hurting us or herself.

Kind of like PMS! LOL
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Offline seaherons

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Re: Help with thunderstorm reaction!
« Reply #4 on: June 09, 2008, 07:47:41 pm »
I don't know if your vet is well versed with Pyrs, but remember always that they are sensitive with all types of sedation and anesthesia, requiring less to be effective typically.  Perhaps even 1/3 to 1/2 of a dosage that would be gauged by an accurate weighing of the dog.  This would included Acepromazine!  I know our breeder had one Pyr that required Ace for awhile, but then was weaned from using it in time with other interventions.

Offline TannerW

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Re: Help with thunderstorm reaction!
« Reply #5 on: June 09, 2008, 07:51:51 pm »
Kind of like PMS! LOL
Very much so.  And, quite honestly, the less PMS I have to bear witness to, the better.  Wait a minute - I mean - would you like some more wine?  ;D

Back to the thunderstorm problem, I meant to say that the Acepromazine was our last resort.  We did have some success with some topical, homeopathic anxiety spray - but that just wasn't enough to slow her down.  We ended up using it in conjunction with the Acepromazine.

And just to give you an idea how bad her case was, she once locked herself inside my bathroom while no one was home.  Naturally, a storm popped up out of nowhere and floated right over our house.  I get home and she had clawed a massive hole THROUGH the door, and was running around with her nails nearly ripped off from the manic clawing.  I think that's the point we officially decided to go with a prescription drug.

Offline People Whisperer

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Re: Help with thunderstorm reaction!
« Reply #6 on: June 09, 2008, 07:57:04 pm »
Kind of like PMS! LOL
Very much so.  And, quite honestly, the less PMS I have to bear witness to, the better.  Wait a minute - I mean - would you like some more wine?  ;D

Hey, you are a quick learner :D :-*
But seriously, thunderstorms problems sound horrible :'( I am lucky enough that Lily sleeps on her back with legs spread out while it's storming ::) :)
"To once own a Great Pyrenees is to love and want one always."
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Offline kathryn

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Re: Help with thunderstorm reaction!
« Reply #7 on: June 09, 2008, 08:29:51 pm »
Razor is a severe thunderphobic dog.  He ate through 2 kennels and 1 bedroom door.  After he went through the door, we went to the vet for a prescription.  The vet recommended the melatonin and that worked for a light storm but not for the major ones.  The rescue remedy had no effect on him.  The vet prescribed Ace for him and that worked for a little while but it's started losing it's effectiveness.  I have read reports that Ace doesn't effect the mind of the dog.  It just relaxes the body but the mind is still alert and in panic mode.  I also found that Razor would settle down during a storm if I turned the tv on really loud and let him lay on my pillows behind me.  Hope that helps. 
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Offline seaherons

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Re: Help with thunderstorm reaction!
« Reply #8 on: June 10, 2008, 05:13:43 am »
Cirra's "personal assistant"  here.  I suggest rescue remedy for the humans.  The calmer that we are the better the dogs are.  And it is hard to be calm when they are trying to kill themselves by escaping. I watch the radar on the computer.  I have found that I can play games with Cirra right before the storm.  Anything to kept her attention.  Once the storm is over us with lightening and thunder she won't play however the less time she is in that crazy state - the better.  If the storm is in the distance I will try to use distractions and games.  I just squirt the TFLN is her mouth and don't worry about how many drops. 

Offline pyr4me

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Re: Help with thunderstorm reaction!
« Reply #9 on: June 10, 2008, 06:28:25 am »
Thank you everyone for your responses. I just spent another sleepless night with Jenny freaking out over a storm. It's SOOOOO frustrating because it's like she's so panicked that she won't let me help her--she won't lay down anywhere at all--I did try to make her a safe place in the pantry (quiet, no windows) last night, but again, she wouldn't use it. I used many squirts of TFLN to no avail. I am definitely calling the vet this morning--we need some help in the prescription variety before we all lose our minds! Thanks again everyone. I will keep you posted.
Jennifer

Tipper (8 1/2 yrs) Golden Retriever/Sheltie mix
Jenny (4 yrs) Great Pyrenees
Gabriel (14 yrs) Sealpoint Himalayan cat
Melanie (11 yrs) Domestic medium hair cat

"You think dogs will not be in heaven? I tell you, they will be there long before any of us."
~Robert Lewis Steven

Offline marianne1952

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Re: Help with thunderstorm reaction!
« Reply #10 on: June 10, 2008, 07:47:05 pm »
Don;t know if it helps but it kinda makes sence! Since dogs mostly are frightened of thunder because they feel the static in the air I heard someone say that rubbing a non scented  dryer sheet over the dog will help!

marypyrs

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Re: Help with thunderstorm reaction!
« Reply #11 on: June 11, 2008, 02:19:29 am »
They feel it from way down deep in the Earth. It's as though they are being "sucked down". Yes it comes from the sky so far as we can concern. But the gravitational pull is intense.

I've found that with dogs it's usually the females who are most affected. In the horses - many time it's the males. A Gelding or Stallion. Chickens - it's the hens. Geese - it's the Gander.

Cows and horses stand in a circle with heads held low. A day BEFORE the storm hits = the horses will be running like crazy.

Rainbow becomes extreemly stressed. Whisper - well - not much upsets him but he wonders what the heck his Sister is getting so upset about.

I have a special blanket that I place over Rain's crate to give her extra security and I also ALWAYS have the door open to the walk in closet off the downstairs bedroom. It's dark. Secluded. And she often goes way back in a corner there. Unless she's salivating and trying to plant her mighty self (back end) on the side of my bed or hide her head under my covers.  :-\

Offline faye

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Re: Help with thunderstorm reaction!
« Reply #12 on: June 11, 2008, 07:30:22 am »
wow! I've never had a dog that was scared of storms. but we live near an army base and they hear guns and see flashes all the time from the guys training so I guess they just get used to that and the storms never bother them.

Offline MeAndMyMuttz

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Re: Help with thunderstorm reaction!
« Reply #13 on: June 12, 2008, 12:13:15 am »
my poochies get scared, but they don't get destructive, they just become abnormally needy and all end up piling up on me in the bed... i don't mind, its like a big 200+ lb blanket  ;D

Ace is sometimes the only way to go but most of the time it does WONDERS. Definitley call your vet, he/she may also have some training excersises or other homeopathic remedies you can try as well to help with the behavior.

good luck!!!


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Offline pyr4me

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Re: Help with thunderstorm reaction!--UPDATED
« Reply #14 on: June 15, 2008, 04:12:11 pm »
Ok, so my husband and I are ready to pull our hair out or cry out of frustration and fatigue. Jenny kept us up all night again last night and it wasn't even a thunderstorm, it was just some light rain. Her phobia seems to be getting worse, it seems that she freaks out whenever there's a little rain at night. It definitely seems that night is the worst for her. There was some thunder and lightning today and she wasn't that bad at all.

I called my vet several days ago and she gave Jenny Chlorazepate, she told me to give her 1, up to 2, pills 30 minutes before a storm. Well, they don't seem to help her AT ALL. She's out of her mind hysterical and I don't know how to help her. (or my family--we are all sick and tired of this). I actually yelled at Jenny last night. I feel terrible about it, I know that she can't help it, but it's so frustrating!

I'm obviously going to call the vet again tomorrow and see if she can offer Jenny something different that might have an effect for her. I basically feel like I need a nightly tranquilizer for her this summer. I'm also feeling upset that the rescue group didn't tell me this about her so I could have been more prepared--I want to blame someone for this--I know it's not rational, but I feel mad about it. The rescue had her from May to October, so they would have seen her reactions to summer storms.

Thanks for listening to me vent. I'm dreading tonight cause they are forecasting more rain.  :(
Jennifer

Tipper (8 1/2 yrs) Golden Retriever/Sheltie mix
Jenny (4 yrs) Great Pyrenees
Gabriel (14 yrs) Sealpoint Himalayan cat
Melanie (11 yrs) Domestic medium hair cat

"You think dogs will not be in heaven? I tell you, they will be there long before any of us."
~Robert Lewis Steven