VETgirl October 2024 Beat e-Magazine

QUARTERLY BEAT / OCTOBER 2024

Pheromones play a significant role in canine communication and can provide comfort and security. Products like ThunderEase® diffusers and collars have been used successfully to help dogs adapt to stressful situations. Pheromones are species-specific semiochemicals that trigger innate, subconscious responses and are not the same as olfactory cues. They are a critical part of non-pharmaceutical intervention strategies and can significantly improve clinical outcomes. In conclusion, managing canine noise phobia and anxiety requires a comprehensive approach involving environmental management, behavioral therapy, and medication. Effective intervention can enhance the quality of life for both dogs and their owners, making it essential to understand and apply these multifaceted strategies.

Desensitization and counterconditioning are considered the gold standard for the management and treatment of canine noise phobia. This involves controlled exposure to noise below the stress response threshold and gradually increasing intensity, paired with positive reinforcement, as the threshold level and emotional response of the animal improves. Timing is critical to ensure the intervention is neither too soon nor too late to be effective. Medication options include maintenance or situational/event- specific drugs. Maintenance medications are better suited for frequent, unpredictable triggers and require weeks to months for onset, while situational drugs act quickly for predictable, infrequent triggers. Common medications include fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline, clomipramine, trazodone, clonidine, gabapentin, buspirone, amitriptyline, and benzodiazepines.

CANINE NOISE PHOBIA AND THE ANXIETY PATIENT

CHRISTOPHER PACHEL DVM, DACVB, CABC (IAABC) Animal Behavior Clinic Portland, OR, USA

WEBINAR HIGHLIGHTS

In this VETgirl webinar Canine Noise Phobia and the Anxiety Patient on June 20, 2024, Dr. Christopher Pachel, DACVB, CABC (IAABC) reviews canine noise phobia and the anxious patient. Learn about the most comprehensive approach to enhancing the quality of life for your patients and their owners! In case you missed the webinar, watch it again HERE or read the cliff notes below!

while passive coping involves autonomic inhibition and increased neuroendocrine responses when the threat is inescapable. Individual differences in learning history and experiences, socialization, and stimulus exposure context can significantly influence the development of these and other coping strategy variations. Medical conditions such as endocrine disorders, pain, gastrointestinal dysfunction, pruritic conditions, sensory loss, age-related dementia, and seizure disorders can contribute to anxiety and phobia. A recent study identified a connection between pain and noise phobia, especially in situations in which the onset of noise aversion occurs later in life and with a generalized anxiety component. Thus, a comprehensive assessment is essential to identify underlying medical issues to ensure appropriate treatment of contributing conditions. Intervention strategies involve identifying the stimulus or context and avoiding uncontrolled exposure. Controlled exposure should be set up to create positive associations, and aversives (e.g., unpleasant stimuli) should be avoided in favor of humane approaches. Medication or supplements may be used if necessary. Avoidance strategies include providing access to secure, comfortable locations and using acoustic strategies like white noise, loud music, or calming music. Product options like ThunderShirts®, Happy Hoodies®, and iCalmPet TM music can be beneficial.

Canine noise phobia and anxiety are prevalent behavioral disorders that significantly impact the quality of life of affected dogs and their owners. Fear, as defined in this context, is a distressing emotional response to a perceived threat that is identifiable and shaped by individual experiences, serving as an adaptive response essential for survival. However, phobias, specifically noise phobias, represent non-adaptive, excessive fears towards specific stimuli such as fireworks, thunderstorms, and gunshots. These phobias often generalize to predictive cues, leading to anxiety characterized by an apprehensive anticipation of a threat. Anxiety is more likely to be experienced by the animal in situations in which the perceived threat occurs unpredictably or when the animal doesn’t have the opportunity to avoid or control their exposure. Understanding the continuum from normal to pathological responses is crucial. Natural adaptive responses can become pathological when they interfere with an animal's coping abilities, leading to altered body functions, disrupted sleep patterns, and abnormal gastrointestinal functions. The severity, intensity, and duration of these responses can vary from acute to chronic stress, significantly impacting the immune system and contributing to the compromised welfare of an affected animal. Coping strategies in dogs can be categorized into active and passive responses. Active coping involves sympathetic activation and is utilized when escape is perceived as possible,

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