While the recent wet weather is welcomed by many during the drought, it may be an anxious time for some family pets who are experiencing thunder and lightning for the first time.
Key points:
- Many puppies and some older dogs may be experiencing thunderstorms for the first time during lengthy drought conditions
- Animals with storm phobia may show symptoms including restlessness, panting, salivating and pacing
- Owners can try creating safe spaces, applying medication or use alternative measures to manage anxious pets during weather events
When Deb Coleman adopted a young border collie dog she was not prepared for how the companion animal would behave during its first thunderstorm.
"This dog was extremely stressed and would actually break through my door and go through windows and run out in the storms and just get lost," Ms Coleman said.
"It was a horrifying experience."
Two decades on from that event, Ms Coleman is now a professional dog trainer and behaviour specialist helping other owners to manage their pets.
With recent rains falling in drought-affect areas, she said many puppies and some older dogs will be experiencing thunder and lightning for the first time.
"It's difficult for a lot of pups these days because we haven't had a lot of rain and we haven't had storms for quite some time," she said.
Signs of storm phobia
Storm phobia is most commonly seen in dogs but can often occur in other pets including horses and cats, veterinary surgeon Nickala Elin said.
"Often it's a noise phobia but it can also be from the lights and other stimulus that occurs during the storm," Ms Elin said.
Dogs with storm phobia commonly show signs of restlessness, panting, salivating, pacing and in extreme cases the animal can be destructive or potentially harmful, she said.
The condition can worsen for some animals as they get older, she said.
Ms Elin said early detection of symptoms and creating an action plan well before storm events arrive can help reduce the severity of issues down the track.
"You definitely don't want to punish your animal for this because it's a fear or an emotional response," she said
Preparing safe spaces
Ms Coleman said she recommends clients to find a comfortable space for their pet to resort to in times of wild weather or during noisy events such as firework displays.
"But we don't want to tie them somewhere too tight because if it's very frightening … they need to have somewhere safe to go, preferably nice and dark," she said.
Ms Elin said it is important to encourage the pet to enter the safe space early on, such as inside a garage or laundry, by offering the animal treats or meals in the environment.
Ms Coleman said exposing puppies to noisy environments at an early stage of life could also prepare them for thunder events.
"What they don't learn about when they're very young … can often be quite scary for them," Ms Coleman said.
Ms Coleman said thunderstorms can scare dogs to escape from enclosures and she reminded owners to keep their pet's collar and microchip identification details up-to-date, in case they go missing.
Medicine, thunder jackets and pheromones
Medication may be a necessary step for pets experiencing extreme cases of storm or noise phobia, Ms Elin said.
Alternatively, Ms Elin said animal owners can try fitting weighted 'thunder jackets' on their pets to calm them down.
"They are basically like a bit of a blanket or like a hug for the dog, so it helps them make quite secure," she said.
Ms Coleman said they don't work for every dog.
"I have some clients who feel they don't work, some clients who feel that they have worked," Ms Coleman said.
Ms Coleman said light music can help distract and calm pets during wild weather and recommended curated playlists found on music streaming apps which cater for this.
The treatment success of appeasement pheromones, applied through diffusers, collars or sprays, can also vary depending on the animal, she said.
If a dog's behaviour is becoming extreme during storms, Ms Coleman recommends owners seek the advice of vets or animal behaviourists.
"It's not just going to rectify itself so professional help is really important," she said.