Noise sensitivities in dogs: a new licensed treatment option

Abstract

Noise sensitivities, i.e. fear, anxiety and phobia based responses to noise/sound stimuli (Sherman and Mills 2008), have a high prevalence in dogs:Blackwell and others (2013) found that 25% of owners surveyed in the UK reported their dog to be fearful of noises, with 49% of owners in the same study indicating that their dog displays at least one sign of fear when exposed to loud noises, which is consistent with the 42% reported in the 2015 PDSA Paw report (PDSA 2015). The most commonly reported noise stimulus triggering a response in these studies is fireworks, but this problem is more than a seasonal

Effectiveness of imepitoin for the control of anxiety and fear associated with noise phobia in dogs

“…Although noise phobia is most frequently associated with fireworks, it is more than just a seasonal or sporadic issue, as affected dogs often also react to a range of other noises such as thunder or gunshots . Although some dogs with noise phobia respond only to certain sporadically occurring noises, others have phobias against many noises that may occur year round or to other, less salient, noises, such as traffic and TV noises .…”

“…Although some dogs with noise phobia respond only to certain sporadically occurring noises, others have phobias against many noises that may occur year round or to other, less salient, noises, such as traffic and TV noises . Noise phobia could also represent 1 of several expressions of a wider underlying anxiety problem . Accordingly, treatment approaches should be tailored to the individual dog's problem and might consist of short acute pharmaceutical interventions for occasional but predictably occurring events causing fear and anxiety or long‐term psychoactive medication either alone or in combination with a short‐acting anxiolytic when needed .…”

“…Noise phobia could also represent 1 of several expressions of a wider underlying anxiety problem . Accordingly, treatment approaches should be tailored to the individual dog's problem and might consist of short acute pharmaceutical interventions for occasional but predictably occurring events causing fear and anxiety or long‐term psychoactive medication either alone or in combination with a short‐acting anxiolytic when needed . In all cases, behavior treatment, preferably by a specialist, would be ideal in combination with psychoactive drugs to provide the best long‐term effect …”

Effectiveness of imepitoin for the control of anxiety and fear associated with noise phobia in dogs

“…Although noise phobia is most frequently associated with fireworks, it is more than just a seasonal or sporadic issue, as affected dogs often also react to a range of other noises such as thunder or gunshots . Although some dogs with noise phobia respond only to certain sporadically occurring noises, others have phobias against many noises that may occur year round or to other, less salient, noises, such as traffic and TV noises .…”

“…Although some dogs with noise phobia respond only to certain sporadically occurring noises, others have phobias against many noises that may occur year round or to other, less salient, noises, such as traffic and TV noises . Noise phobia could also represent 1 of several expressions of a wider underlying anxiety problem . Accordingly, treatment approaches should be tailored to the individual dog's problem and might consist of short acute pharmaceutical interventions for occasional but predictably occurring events causing fear and anxiety or long‐term psychoactive medication either alone or in combination with a short‐acting anxiolytic when needed .…”

“…Noise phobia could also represent 1 of several expressions of a wider underlying anxiety problem . Accordingly, treatment approaches should be tailored to the individual dog's problem and might consist of short acute pharmaceutical interventions for occasional but predictably occurring events causing fear and anxiety or long‐term psychoactive medication either alone or in combination with a short‐acting anxiolytic when needed . In all cases, behavior treatment, preferably by a specialist, would be ideal in combination with psychoactive drugs to provide the best long‐term effect …”

Evaluation of Pexion ® (imepitoin) for treatment of storm anxiety in dogs: A randomised, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial

“…For weekly survey data, the product of the intensity and frequency ratings was calculated by multiplying the intensity score [1][2][3][4][5] by the frequency score (0-3) and taking the sum of these products across the 16 behaviours (possible range of 0-240). Data were then analysed using a split-plot model.…”

Stress, needs, and behaviour: understanding chronic stress in pet domestic dogs ( C anis lupus familiaris ) from the prism of needs

“…In many cases, animals, including dogs, have not had enough time to develop evolutionary mechanisms to cope with these stimuli. Large‐scale surveys report that between 23% and 49% of dogs show some degree of fear or sensitivity to sounds such as fireworks, thunderstorms, or gunshots (Blackwell, Bradshaw & Casey, 2013; McPeake, Affenzeller & Mills, 2017; Salonen et al ., 2020; Storengen & Lingaas, 2015; Tiira, Sulkama & Lohi, 2016). Severe phobic reactions are less common, but up to half of dogs display at least one behavioural sign of fear in response to loud noises at some point in their lives (Grigg et al ., 2021; Hargrave, 2022).…”

Effectiveness of imepitoin for the control of anxiety and fear associated with noise phobia in dogs

“…Although noise phobia is most frequently associated with fireworks, it is more than just a seasonal or sporadic issue, as affected dogs often also react to a range of other noises such as thunder or gunshots . Although some dogs with noise phobia respond only to certain sporadically occurring noises, others have phobias against many noises that may occur year round or to other, less salient, noises, such as traffic and TV noises .…”

“…Although some dogs with noise phobia respond only to certain sporadically occurring noises, others have phobias against many noises that may occur year round or to other, less salient, noises, such as traffic and TV noises . Noise phobia could also represent 1 of several expressions of a wider underlying anxiety problem . Accordingly, treatment approaches should be tailored to the individual dog's problem and might consist of short acute pharmaceutical interventions for occasional but predictably occurring events causing fear and anxiety or long‐term psychoactive medication either alone or in combination with a short‐acting anxiolytic when needed .…”

“…Noise phobia could also represent 1 of several expressions of a wider underlying anxiety problem . Accordingly, treatment approaches should be tailored to the individual dog's problem and might consist of short acute pharmaceutical interventions for occasional but predictably occurring events causing fear and anxiety or long‐term psychoactive medication either alone or in combination with a short‐acting anxiolytic when needed . In all cases, behavior treatment, preferably by a specialist, would be ideal in combination with psychoactive drugs to provide the best long‐term effect …”

Evaluation of Pexion ® (imepitoin) for treatment of storm anxiety in dogs: A randomised, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial

“…For weekly survey data, the product of the intensity and frequency ratings was calculated by multiplying the intensity score [1][2][3][4][5] by the frequency score (0-3) and taking the sum of these products across the 16 behaviours (possible range of 0-240). Data were then analysed using a split-plot model.…”

Stress, needs, and behaviour: understanding chronic stress in pet domestic dogs ( C anis lupus familiaris ) from the prism of needs

“…In many cases, animals, including dogs, have not had enough time to develop evolutionary mechanisms to cope with these stimuli. Large‐scale surveys report that between 23% and 49% of dogs show some degree of fear or sensitivity to sounds such as fireworks, thunderstorms, or gunshots (Blackwell, Bradshaw & Casey, 2013; McPeake, Affenzeller & Mills, 2017; Salonen et al ., 2020; Storengen & Lingaas, 2015; Tiira, Sulkama & Lohi, 2016). Severe phobic reactions are less common, but up to half of dogs display at least one behavioural sign of fear in response to loud noises at some point in their lives (Grigg et al ., 2021; Hargrave, 2022).…”

Effectiveness of imepitoin for the control of anxiety and fear associated with noise phobia in dogs

“…Although noise phobia is most frequently associated with fireworks, it is more than just a seasonal or sporadic issue, as affected dogs often also react to a range of other noises such as thunder or gunshots . Although some dogs with noise phobia respond only to certain sporadically occurring noises, others have phobias against many noises that may occur year round or to other, less salient, noises, such as traffic and TV noises .…”

“…Although some dogs with noise phobia respond only to certain sporadically occurring noises, others have phobias against many noises that may occur year round or to other, less salient, noises, such as traffic and TV noises . Noise phobia could also represent 1 of several expressions of a wider underlying anxiety problem . Accordingly, treatment approaches should be tailored to the individual dog's problem and might consist of short acute pharmaceutical interventions for occasional but predictably occurring events causing fear and anxiety or long‐term psychoactive medication either alone or in combination with a short‐acting anxiolytic when needed .…”

“…Noise phobia could also represent 1 of several expressions of a wider underlying anxiety problem . Accordingly, treatment approaches should be tailored to the individual dog's problem and might consist of short acute pharmaceutical interventions for occasional but predictably occurring events causing fear and anxiety or long‐term psychoactive medication either alone or in combination with a short‐acting anxiolytic when needed . In all cases, behavior treatment, preferably by a specialist, would be ideal in combination with psychoactive drugs to provide the best long‐term effect …”

Evaluation of Pexion ® (imepitoin) for treatment of storm anxiety in dogs: A randomised, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial

“…For weekly survey data, the product of the intensity and frequency ratings was calculated by multiplying the intensity score [1][2][3][4][5] by the frequency score (0-3) and taking the sum of these products across the 16 behaviours (possible range of 0-240). Data were then analysed using a split-plot model.…”

Stress, needs, and behaviour: understanding chronic stress in pet domestic dogs ( C anis lupus familiaris ) from the prism of needs

“…In many cases, animals, including dogs, have not had enough time to develop evolutionary mechanisms to cope with these stimuli. Large‐scale surveys report that between 23% and 49% of dogs show some degree of fear or sensitivity to sounds such as fireworks, thunderstorms, or gunshots (Blackwell, Bradshaw & Casey, 2013; McPeake, Affenzeller & Mills, 2017; Salonen et al ., 2020; Storengen & Lingaas, 2015; Tiira, Sulkama & Lohi, 2016). Severe phobic reactions are less common, but up to half of dogs display at least one behavioural sign of fear in response to loud noises at some point in their lives (Grigg et al ., 2021; Hargrave, 2022).…”