Effectiveness of treatments for firework fears in dogs

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>An online questionnaire survey investigated (1) management and (2) treatment methods for firework fears in dogs employed by dog owners and their (perceived) effectiveness. A PCA on data from 1225 respondents revealed four management strategies (i.e. interventions during firework exposure): the principal components <jats:italic>“Environmental modification”</jats:italic> (e.g. providing a hiding place, keeping windows and blinds closed, and playing music), <jats:italic>“Feed/Play”</jats:italic> (providing the dog with chews, play and food during fireworks in general, as well as contingent on loud bangs), <jats:italic>“Alternative”</jats:italic> (use of calming nutraceuticals, pheromones, herbal products, homeopathic products, Bach flowers, and essential oils) and <jats:italic>“Interaction”</jats:italic> (allowing body contact, petting and talking to the dog when loud bangs occurred). To explore possible effects of these management methods on fear development, the components were correlated with a score for fear progression. Of the four components, only <jats:italic>“Feed/Play”</jats:italic> was statistically associated with an improvement in fear responses to fireworks. To evaluate the effectiveness of various treatment strategies, owners were asked to select from a range of options which interventions they had used and whether they considered them as effective. With prescription medication (N=202), improvements were noted by 69% of owners, with high success rates reported for the most frequently prescribed drugs, alprazolam (91%) and Sileo® (74%). While individual products were not evaluated, the reported success rates for the categories “pheromones” (N=316), “herbal products” (N=282), “nutraceuticals” (N=211), “essential oils” (N=183), “homeopathic remedies” (N=250) and “Bach flowers” (N=281) were all in the range of 27-35%, which is not higher than would be expected based on a placebo effect. Pressure vests were deemed as effective by 44% of respondents (N=300). Counterconditioning (providing desirable stimuli after the occurrence of noises) was the most successful training technique according to the owners (N=694), with a reported effectiveness of over 70%. Relaxation training (N=433) was reported to be almost as successful at 69%, while noise CDs (N=377) were effective in 55% of cases. Thus, counterconditioning, relaxation training and anxiolytic medication appear to be the most effective strategies in the treatment of firework fears in dogs. On this basis it is recommended that ad-hoc counterconditioning and relaxation training should complement the standard behavioral technique of desensitization/ counterconditioning with noise recordings.</jats:p><jats:sec><jats:title>Highlights</jats:title><jats:p><jats:list list-type="bullet"><jats:list-item><jats:p>An online survey on treatment options for firework fears in dogs was performed</jats:p></jats:list-item><jats:list-item><jats:p>Feeding or playing with dogs during fireworks was associated with fear improvement</jats:p></jats:list-item><jats:list-item><jats:p>Success was highest for ad-hoc counterconditioning, relaxation training and medication</jats:p></jats:list-item><jats:list-item><jats:p>Success was similar for pheromones, nutraceuticals and other alternative products</jats:p></jats:list-item><jats:list-item><jats:p>Success rates for these alternative products are consistent with a placebo effect</jats:p></jats:list-item></jats:list></jats:p></jats:sec>

3D Insights into the Effects of Captivity on Wolf Mastication and Their Tooth Marks; Implications in Ecological Studies of Both the Past and Present

“…Finally, chewing is known to calm domestic dogs when they get agitated [ 117 ]. Domestic dogs suffering from confinement distress have also been known to chew and destroy items, the latter more common when combined with noise aversion [ 118 , 119 ].…”

A Review on Mitigating Fear and Aggression in Dogs and Cats in a Veterinary Setting

“…As no published studies are available on the effect of benzodiazepines on fear in dogs and cats in a veterinary context, and because clinical trial data are generally scarce, recommendations are mainly based on the experience of experts (e.g., [ 27 , 36 , 123 ]). Alprazolam is recommended for panic-like conditions [ 139 ] and was reported to be highly effective for noise fears [ 140 ]. However, the owners should be made aware that paradoxical reactions, such as increased arousal, restlessness, and insomnia, may occur [ 36 , 122 ].…”

Effects of a single oral dose of gabapentin on storm phobia in dogs: A double‐blind, placebo‐controlled crossover trial

“…Recent studies have emphasized the utility of two drugs covered by a marketing authorization for noise phobia in dogs in the European Union: Sileo, Dexmedetomidine oromucosal gel 14 and Pexion, imepitoin. 15 Several other drugs are recommended in the literature to manage noise phobia 9,16,17 such as benzodiazepines, drugs targeting the γ-aminobutyric acid, type A (GABA A ) receptors. However, the therapeutic effects of benzodiazepines seem difficult to predict from a dog to another, and their adverse effects such as sedation and anterograde amnesia 18,19 limit their use with behavioural modifications.…”