My dog is severely afraid of thunderstorms. What else can I try?

Question

My dog is severely afraid of thunderstorms, so much that now when it rains she associates it with a storm. She trembles and pants. We've tried the thunder vest, natural supplements, nothing works. Any advice? She's also a loner and prefers to be away from the family and upstairs on her bed and hardly ever plays anymore. My vet says she's healthy as can be. Pet's info: Dog | Golden Retriever | Female | spayed | 4 years and 5 months old | 70 lbs

Menolly Cote, DVM, CVA · Accepted Answer

I'm sorry to hear of your concerns with Rosie. It's terrible to have your pet be so scared. I would recommend asking your veterinarian about using an anti-anxiety medication and/or sedative prior to thunderstorms to help reduce Rosie's anxiety. Medications such as trazodone and Sileo can be quite beneficial in these cases. It may also be worth working with an experienced animal behaviorist to work on counter conditioning Rosie's response to thunderstorms. This can be an involved process, but the benefits can be great in that you may be able to reduce Rosie's anxiety over time by helping to have a more positive association with storms.

My dog is severely afraid of thunderstorms. What else can I try?

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