My senior Shih Tzu is terrified of apartment noises. How can I help?

Question

I have a 13 year old Shih Tzu who is now afraid of being in our apartment due to the neighbors we had upstairs! They have moved out but he is afraid of every noise he hears and he just sits in the bathroom and stares at the wall and listens for every little noise he can hear! We are at a loss of what to do. When we take him out for a walk he doesn't want to come home. Sometimes he doesn't even want to eat. It's so very sad and we don't know what to do? We try to take him to the park every day!

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

Poor pup! This level of anxiety about noises isn't normal, so I would consider talking to your veterinarian about prescription anti-anxiety medication for him. This could dramatically improve his quality of life, just like treating chronic pain with medication. If your veterinarian isn't well-versed in behavior issues, you could see a veterinary behaviorist instead - you can search for one in your area here: www.dacvb.org In the meantime, there are a few other things you can do that may help. I would suggest getting a white noise machine to help mask noises from the upstairs apartment and keep him from being able to hear every little thing that happens. He might also benefit from a DAP pheromone diffuser and a daily calming supplement like Zylkene or Composure.

My senior Shih Tzu is terrified of apartment noises. How can I help?

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