Anyone have to tranquilize during thunder?

[pitc9]

Buddy tries to break out windows, bites door handles, or if he hears a clap of thunder while outside, he'll try to jump the fence or he'll bite at it like he's trying to tear it down!!
He'll even throw himself ON me! He's hurt me several times.

I was giving him 2 Acepromizine before the storm started, it wouldn't knock him out, but it would slow him down quite a bit. But then I noticed he was wheezing while on it. So I stopped and the vet gave me a prescription of Valium.
We've tried it twice and two pills do NOTHING for him.
Rescue Remedy didn't work, I've tried several things from the pet store.
Is there anyone out there that has had trouble like this?
Anything VERY Strong that anyone could tell me about
What about any inject able tranquilizers??
Horse Tranquilizers?

I know I have to talk to my vet before I try anything... but I just wanted to see what anyone here thought.

[king2005]

do u have a basement??

my friends dog use to freak out & bite us. She would run into the basement & hide is a box.

maybe setting up a wooden box for him to hide in would make him feel better??

you could line it with that hard white insulation, cause I think it would block alot of the noise.

might be better then drugging.

[Samantha Puppy]

Just show him a picture of his girlfriend, Samantha, and that should calm him down. I posted new pics about a week ago.

Seriously though - Samantha's really laidback when it comes to thunderstorms so I have no advice for you... Just lots of hugs and treats to get poor Buddy through it!

[beeniesmom]

Fortunately I don't have that problem. My dogs really don't care about thunder.
The first thing to remember however is not to make a big deal out of it.
Turn on a radio or Tv.
Play with him.
Give him treats.
Don't coddle him and tell him "that's OK".
It will make him think something is wrong and his behavior is justified.

[LaRana]

Tranquilizing during thunder... hmm.. maybe that's what my upstairs neighbors need to do for their dog. When it thunders outside, that poor dog freaks out and it sounds like it's thundering inside our apartment. Our ceiling fan shakes, our curtains & blindes shake, our lights flicker.. and I swear it's not because of any close thunder.

I'm so sick of those irresponsible owners. That poor dog acts like that when it's not thundering too, but it's mostly because she's a black lab mix (small size) and I don't think she gets enough exercise All it would take is one more phonecall, and they would be out of that apartment, but I don't feel like being mean....

In the meantime, I just get irritated and lose sleep and threaten to post anonymous notes on their door with signs of a big dog cage, people exercising with their dogs, and actually picking up after the dogs go poop.

Yes I'm frustrated :P

[pitc9]

Their crates are down the basement and he'll run down there, then run back upstairs and try to break out the windows. If I shut him in his crate he barks his ever loving head off and try to break out of his crate (which he has done twice)
he freaks out so bad that I'm afraid he'll have a heartattck one day during a thunder storm.
I don't reassure him, or tell him it's okay. I ignore him as much as I can until he hurts me. I've tried keeping him on a leash and just give him a little corection when he starts to freak out. That doesn't work, he just drags me around the house!
I'm trying now to play a CD with thunder on it. We'll have to wait and see what that does.

[pitc9]

Originally posted by Samantha Puppy
Just show him a picture of his girlfriend, Samantha, and that should calm him down. I posted new pics about a week ago.

Oh Good Idea!!

[king2005]

can he see through his crate??

try putting blankets ontop of his crate so its dark like a cave.

[pitc9]

Originally posted by beeniesmom
Fortunately I don't have that problem. My dogs really don't care about thunder.
The first thing to remember however is not to make a big deal out of it.
Turn on a radio or Tv.
Play with him.
Give him treats.
Don't coddle him and tell him "that's OK".
It will make him think something is wrong and his behavior is justified.

I keep him down the basement with lights on, Radio on and the TV on.... he doesn't care..
He won't take eat or take treats not even pigs ears or bully sticks... nothing when it's thundering.
Then he won't go outside for HOURS after the last thunder (so then he pees in the basement if I take my eyes off of him for a second)

[pitc9]

Originally posted by king2005
can he see through his crate??

try putting blankets ontop of his crate so its dark like a cave.

Ohhhh!!!! That's something I haven't tried yet!!
We're expecting thunder tonight so I'll be able to try it tonight!

[king2005]

also try to have a blanket cover the top 1/2 of the entrance, so it leaves a small entry & feels safer

[aly]

Talk to your vet about the rectal valium instead of the pills. Most vets should have it because that is how you give valium to a dog that is having a seizure. I'm not sure if it will more effective than the pills or not, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

I'm not a fan of drugging dogs too much, but I really think in your case it is greatly needed so he doesn't hurt himself. Poor guy. I do have to give Lolly Ace during long thunderstorms. I tried to desensitize her for years, but it never helped her so I had to resort to Ace and she's much more comfortable now.

[pnance]

Try calling your vet and tell them the valium isn't working. They may be able to adjust the dosage if covering the crate doesn't work. I was given valium for my cat, the first time I tried it he couldn't even walk he was so drugged. I contacted the vet and she said drop the dosage to 1/4 of a pill instead of half. That works great, it keeps him calm but still fairly functional. You may need to go the other way if possible.

[Suki Wingy]

oh, I don't know what to tell you! Niño and neither of my other dogs were bothered with it at all