They may display mild signs of agitation, such as pacing, trembling or panting, or more severe behaviour such as howling, drooling, loss of bladder or bowel control, or destructive chewing. The worst scenario is that your dog or cat is so terrified she bolts through a door or window to find a hiding place.
Make sure your dog and cat are microchipped and wear an identity tag, so that if they do escape you can be easily reunited with them. Offer your pet a suitable safe place, either their crate or a dark, quiet corner somewhere, but leave them even if their preferred place is your clean linen pile! Bring outdoor animals inside if you can, or cover a hutch with a heavy blanket to drown out the worst of the noise.
Don’t forget that dogs are sensitive to barometric pressure changes and can often sense a storm coming long before it’s on your radar. Watch out for high winds as that can send some dogs into a frenzy – they may associate it with an impending storm, or be picking up stimulating new smells carried from afar.
Try and walk your dog before the bangs or storms begin so that he is tired and more likely to ignore the disturbance, but if you don’t get the opportunity then play some mental games so that he is equally exhausted. Keep windows, doors and cat flaps closed, draw the curtains to block out the flashes, and turn on a radio or TV to disguise the noise. Provide your dog with a bone, tendon or chew toy, as the chewing action helps to release endorphins and help keep your hound calm.
Provide a litter tray for cats during winter, even if they don’t normally have one, so that they can eliminate if necessary without having to go outside. Make sure all pets have access to fresh water as the fight-or-flight syndrome of anxiety will make them pant more and be thirsty. Don’t forget to check the garden after a storm or firework display to pick up any errant debris before letting your pets back outside.
Homeopathic help is at hand with Pet Remedy’s valerian-based formula designed to relieve this stress. It comes in many options to suit your needs: as a wipe to use around your pet’s muzzle; a diffuser to have running permanently throughout the house; an atomiser for use in a specific room during storms or displays; and a spray for use on your pet’s bedding or clothes. Come to Lulu’s Pet Pantry for more information to help your pet through the winter months.