The month of June marks the beginning of what Dr. Jake at Paws for a Cause Vet Care calls the “loud noises season.” During our Midwest summers, we can expect an increase in event-related noise that can stress our pets, most notably thunderstorms, fireworks, and even construction.
Pets who are afraid during thunderstorms or fireworks often exhibit a fight-or-flight response, which is a survival behavior that helps animals respond to perceived threats.
This means our stressed pets may react in one of two ways: Either trying to face the threat or trying to escape from it. Many pets respond to stressful events by hiding, pacing, trembling, panting, slobbering, or even trying to run away.
If your pet experiences these reactions it may be beneficial for you and your pet to incorporate one or more management strategies to improve their wellness during those noisy events:
- Consider a safe space that your pet can retreat to. This can be a place like a bathroom or basement room that doesn’t have windows and will muffle the outside noises.
- Mask outside noise by adding calm sound-producing devices like an air purifier, fan, or sound machine.
- Use species-specific synthetic pheromone products, which are designed to increase your pet’s positive sensory experiences.
- Many pet owners have had success with compression wrap products when used as a calming aid.
Pets also look to their owners for social emotional cues, so it is important for pet owners to
remain calm, even though the noisy event may be exciting or unpleasant. Owners should offer calm reassurance through typical interactions, such as slow petting, gentle talk, and treats. Owners should avoid loud or fast talking and quick, aggressive petting, which may be out of the ordinary and can trigger anxiety. Punishment during these stressful events is inappropriate and is likely to escalate a pet’s anxiety frequency and intensity.
Another technique, behavior modification, involves proactive training techniques that have been
successful for many pets. This process can involve exposing a pet to low-level recordings of
thunder and gradually increasing the volume as your pet becomes more comfortable. Positive
reinforcement is also used to support behaviors by rewarding your pet with treats or praise
when they are calm and relaxed during the recording.
If all of these strategies do not sufficiently reduce a pet’s fear response, then an owner may decide to consider nutraceuticals and or pharmaceuticals to provide relief. Nutraceutical options, such as chews or powders, may offer a natural way for pets to cope with stressful situations. It is essential to evaluate whether a product is safe for your pet and easily administered to the pet you are providing for. Human products can sometimes contain ingredients that can be harmful to pets, so evaluate products carefully. Pet owners can also consider a visit to their veterinarian to see if a pharmaceutical treatment for situational anxiety may be appropriate for anticipated loud noise events.
If your pet may need any sedatives for this season, please contact us at soon as possible so that we may assist in keeping your pet calm and safe during this season.
Call us at 630-961-8000.