‘Ruff’ weather? Help your pet battle storm anxiety
With monsoon in no hurry to retreat this year, many parts of the country have been receiving heavy rains accompanied by thunder and lightning even in September. While for humans, the rumble of the thunder and the pitter patter of raindrops might be soothing, for their furry friends it spells storm anxiety. But with a little understanding, pet parents can help the pets feel safe and secure during storms too.
Malvika Vahi, a pet parent to Honey, an eight-year-old German Shepherd is all too familiar with this phenomenon. She says, “Honey runs and hides under the cupboard and keeps whimpering. She hides there the whole day/evening till the rains have passed. We let her hide and keep blankets to drown out the sound as much as we can.”
For animals, anxiety is the body’s natural response to stress. “Storm anxiety in pets can be defined as their body’s natural response of restlessness and disarray during thunderstorms, lightning or when the cloud cover gets dark. Pets are the first to sense the drop of barometric pressure and the change in scents due to their superior hearing and sense of smell and this leads to a whole lot of behavioural changes,” says Dr Dilip Sonune, director of veterinary services at a pet-care company. From hiding in confined spaces, trembling, barking, howling, whining, to pacing, drooling or engaging in destructive behaviour, they have various responses. Dr Pranjal Khandare, a veterinarian explains, “Pets can hear a louder range of frequency than us, hence they show thunderstorm anxiety by urinating, hiding or barking excessively.”
Empathy is the key to helping your furry buddy. It is very important to observe and understand the triggers that make them anxious. “Stay close to your pet to give them a sense of security and love. Distract them with their favourite toys, food or treats but do not force it upon them,” advises Dr Sonune. Urvi Raghvani, a dog mom to Groot, a two-and-a-half months old Labrador says, “Groot does not eat anything when it starts thundering. I take him close and talk to him in a calm tone.”
They can be covered with blankets or a jacket, or they can hold on to your old t-shirt for reassurance that you’re with them. It’s also important to be patient with them to make them feel loved.