I have a six-year-old male neutered Whippet. He developed a phobia of fireworks and thunder several years ago. This has escalated so that now he is also frightened of rain. Each time it rains heavily when he is indoors he will pant, shake and pace. This becomes so stressed he hardly eats and often vomits if he does eat. To make matters worse he has a grade 4 heart murmur so I worry at the stress he is placing on his heart.
I have tried Skullcap and Valerian tablets, rescue remedy, DAP diffusers, collars and room sprays. I have tried a supplement called Zylkene, and also seen my vet and been on two courses of Clomicalm on two separate years for three months - October through to December. I think the Colmicalm helps a little, but nothing else seems to help much at all. I try to be matter of fact and never make a big thing of his fear. I have tried sound tapes and taking his mind off things with treats, toys and training, but he is generally too stressed to respond. Giving him a 'den' (cage covered over) seems to help him a little, yet strangely he can hear gunshot and thunder while out walking without any signs of fear and his only problem with rain when outside is being miserable because he is wet and cold.
Does anyone have any other ideas I might try?
Frances Wrigley, by email
You seem to have tried most things, the only other suggestions I have are, firstly, an anxiety wrap - try a close-fitting T-shirt first, perhaps buy a cheap child's one - and secondly, instead of the Scullcap & Valerian tablets, which I believe work best when given regularly, try the Valerian Compound, also from Dorwest, which seems to have a much more immediate effect.
ReplyDeleteMy Airedale who is terrified of fireworks is much happier in his anxiety wrap (these are expensive, hence try the t-shirt first!) and also in as small a space as he can squeeze himself into, which is often the shelf underneath the computer printer.
If he's fine when he's outside in the rain, have you tried taking him outside when it starts raining? Even into the garden, or perhaps just opening a door?
ReplyDeleteIf you get him a fleecy jumper (I used one from inside my son's outgrown winter coat for my Greyhound) so he stays dry and warm perhaps popping him out into the garden will give him more of a feeling of control. If he chooses to come indoors, then is he really frightened, or has he learnt that he gets lots of attention when he shakes and shivers as you are understandably concerned about his heart?
Strongly recommend you look in to Tellington TTouch - website www.ttouchtteam.co.uk - they use wraps/t-shirts along with bodywork and groundwork exercises. Find a local practitioner to help you. They care about sharing information so will either teach you how to help your animal or carryout session(s) for you, whichever you prefer. T-shirts available from www.mekuti.co.uk and not expensive.
ReplyDeleteAs there is already a holistic therapy being offered you might also want to investigate Canine Bowen which differs from TTouch as it is less invasive and is often helpful for dogs with these sort of problems. You can find good information and a register of practioners if you look on www.caninebowentechnique.com
ReplyDelete