September/October is a good time to start den training. Soft comfortable bedding and a blanket, which the dog can hide under, can also add to the feeling of security for your pet. Gentle, calm music can be helpful, but if the sound of music in the house is unfamiliar to the dog or the wrong music is played then this can be detrimental. Pheromone therapy e.g. Adaptil calm used as close to the den as possible can increase the sense of calm in the hide out, these products are available from Holmer Vets or online.
Managing human interaction with your pet:
• The best way to respond to your dog when he/she shows signs of noise phobia is to be passively available, stay calm yourself so that your dog is signalled everything is ok, your dog may lay beside you or sniff you. Small circular stroking movements on the chest can help with relaxation.
• If your dog’s response to the fear is repulsion e.g. growling remain calm and allow your pet to have their distance.
• Allow your dog to use their chosen avoidance strategies i.e. get to their safe place and when they chose to come out/are calm reward him/her.
• Avoid well intentioned reassurance of your anxious dog as they may interpret your signals as a sign that the situation is indeed cause for concern and so inadvertently reinforces the behaviour.
• If the pet becomes too reliant on you, as an owner, to cope with the situation, it is unlikely that they will have access to you 24/7, so their fear response will be heightened if you, their coping strategy, are unavailable.
• Do not punish your dog for their fearful behaviour as this is detrimental, it can trigger a negative emotional response and result in worsening of symptoms.
Medication:
• Medication is not a substitute for good management of your pets phobia.
• Medication is used to reduce the emotional response and help prevent relapse or worsening of fear.
• Some dogs exhibit extreme physical symptoms such as inappropriate toileting or vomiting when the phobia is triggered. Some medications, e.g. Selgian, can be beneficial for these dogs however they have a slow onset of action (up to 8 weeks). If you think your pet may benefit from their use for the upcoming firework season you should seek the advice of your vet as soon as possible.
• For medication used during the firework period itself, some nutritional supplements, when used in addition to environmental management and pheromones, can be of benefit for milder cases.
• For dogs who are using their den successfully but need additional help to be calm Sileo is a licensed product available to use 30-60min before a noise event and lasts for 2-3 hours, it can be administered every 2 hours if needed and is given directly into the mouth, which means it is not suitable for use in pets whose response to their fear is aggression.
• For more severely affected dogs benzodiazepines given in advance of the known event, around 1 hour, can have an anti-anxiety effect for 6-8hours. The response of individuals to these drugs is highly variable so ideally we advise testing doses. Test doses should be trialled at least a few days before the fireworks are starting, when your pet is not anxious, this will help to find the most suitable dose for your dog. If benzodiazepines are given for more than a week then your pet should be weaned off gradually under the guidance of your vet.
• Please note that some of the drugs used for management of noise phobias are not licensed. ACP, a sedative, has fallen out of favour as it has been shown it can actually make the phobia worse in the long run.
Please contact us to discuss the most suitable treatment for your individual pet’s needs for this coming firework season.
Long term behavioural therapy/rehabilitation is the ideal goal for noise phobic pets and when the firework season is over sound desensitisation should be implemented. We at Holmer Vets will be happy to discuss and support you and your pet with noise desensitisation. We strongly recommend you visit www.dogstrust.org.uk where you can access a noise desensitisation program for free. For dogs with severe noise phobia or other behavioural issues we may recommend referral to a certified specialist.
What are the symptoms?
• Ulcers or sores on the skin. The most common site is the legs and paws but they could occur anywhere on the body including the abdomen, head and tongue. The lesions can vary from areas of redness, to bruising to open sores.
• A raised temperature resulting in your dog becoming lethargic.
• Drinking more than normal, not wanting to eat, vomiting might be seen if kidney failure develops. Signs of kidney failure usually appear from around 3 days after the marks on the skin, but in some cases it can occur more quickly.
• If you are concerned your dog is showing any of the symptoms above please contact the vets for advice as soon as possible.
Which dogs are at risk?
• There is no link seen between sex, age or breed and the disease meaning all dogs are equally susceptible to it. Although anecdotally we have been aware of more cases in working spaniels.
How is the condition diagnosed?
• Whilst increases in blood kidney values and histological changes detected in skin biopsies can be suggestive of a diagnosis of Alabama Rot, sadly, at this time, the most definitive diagnosis is made post mortem.
How to prevent Alabama Rot?
• As the cause is currently unknown there is no specific advice for prevention. However the majority of cases seem to occur in dogs that have been walked in woodland, and occur during the wet months. So it is considered a sensible precaution to avoid really muddy areas if possible, and if your dog does get muddy then wash it off as soon as possible.
What to do if you suspect Alabama rot:
• Contact your vets as soon as possible. Survival rates are low, only 20-30% of cases will survive, these are generally animals who are only mildly affected at the outset, and treated early. Survival of dogs presented with kidney failure is poor, only a tiny number of cases presented with advanced disease have recovered with dialysis therapy, carried out at a referral practice.
• Whilst this sounds scary it is important to remember this is a very rare disease, and of the time of writing there has only been 13 confirmed cases across the whole of the UK in 2019 so far.
• There is a map of the whole UK that has recorded every known case of Alabama rot since 2012 to help try and identify areas at risk. You can view this map by clicking on this link: https://www.vets4pets.com/pet-health-advice/alabama-rot/ .
