O'Riley's Phobic Recovery

An interesting development

2010-05-14T09:01:00.002-04:00

One of the hardest times for me is late evening or middle of the night storms........to be so rudely awakened by a panting,clawing dog is impossibly hard to handle for me (and probably most people)

Last week I was able to 'hide' in the middle of my queen sized bed........O'Riley can't jump up on the bed w/o the assistance of two large firm cushions that sit next to the bed and which I removed when I realized a storm might develop in the middle of the night. As soon as he realized I was inaccessible I heard him scratching around in my closet and then I heard him climbing into the bathtub where he remained the rest of the night !!!!!!!! He has NEVER done this and I'm beginning to see that as soon as he realizes there is no help or attention from me he decides to calm himself.....AND, this is w/o the help of any anti-anxiety meds !

Last night we had storms due to arrive around 10 pm...........I dosed him at nine and settled in bed with my book..............I made no eye contact at all and hid behind my book.............again he went into the closet, panting furiously, and soon I heard him climbing into the tub again (in which I had placed one of his soft mats).......and that was that.......he stayed all night, long after the storms had passed.......I am hoping this is an ongoing situation and that MAYBE this means I can leave him here alone if I have an appointment or am meeting someone for dinner etc. Up until now I have not dared leave him alone for fear that he might hurt himself and also because I can't bear to leave him when I know how terrified he is..............but,(fingers crossed) maybe we have reached a better place and O'R is learning that he can handle his fears in a different and less stressful way !

Here's Hoping !

Hanging out in the laundry room

2010-05-05T09:23:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I gave O'Riley 2 clonazepam about 20 minutes before storm............this time I went o the basement laundry room and he followed me down(which he usually won't do) I had laundry tub filling while I folded laundry from the drier and talked happy talk as the storm passed through........I could certainly hear the thunder as could O'R but he handled it well......no clawing at me, thank god ! The only thing I didn't like was the after effects of the drug.......he was a little stumbly in the rear and that is where his spinal arthritis affects him

Approaching the 2010 storm season

2010-04-24T16:52:00.002-04:00

I decided to blog again as it helps to review the past days/weeks to see what doses are helping best and what best works for O'R and me as to our behaviors during a storm

During a storm a few weeks ago I gave him 2 1/2 mg cloz..............I had absolutely NO eye contact with him and, though I didn't try to sit down, I emptied dishwasher, did some laundry, picked up............I paid no attention to him at all and it was good..........he was nervous and followed me, but no scratching or efforts to get outside. I'm thinking that when I use the word calm it seems to trigger a fearful response .......as though he connects my saying that with storm...........calm=storm.........smart doggy !!

July 2008 Update

2008-07-23T12:40:00.003-04:00

We have had another month of unsettled weather............but we have coped well. Last night we were up from 1:15 AM-4:00AM....................very heavy storm activity. O'R spent much of his time burrowing in different places in the bedroom while I spent time at the computer...............he was not dosed untill 3ish and he did well..........a heavy band was predicted for 3 AM so he was given 2 Clonazepam..........he did some scratching at the window etc but finally got up on my bed and place his arse next to my head :) The improvement in him is a marvel..........we have both retrained ourselves, I think to handle these storms much more wisely..........I must say, I will not be sad when summer is done with.........never thought I would say that !!

Good Boy Mr O :)

Summer Update ~

2008-06-29T20:19:00.002-04:00

Things are going well............I realize that O'R needs some retraining as he has not remembered every thing we worked on last year........understandable, for sure ( neither have I !!) Redirecting is SO important...........i.e. tonight he was standing near me and panting and I quietly repeated " You go lie down.........you go lie down" .................and he did and fell asleep, sweet boy...........he just needed some guidence as he was......um.......shall we say................under the influence? :)

We've had a number of pop up storms this season ( very typical when one lives to the east of a major great lake !!)

Weather Underground is the best website I have found for accurate info and great radar maps that show storm direction and severity...........I have no problem giving him three 1 mg Clonazepam when a strong storm is approaching and I will administer 2 more after 2-3 hours if he is very anxious or if the radar tells me there are alot more storms coming..............I have never had to give him more than that in any 24 hour period...................and if the radar shows me a small passing storm I will not medicate him.............rather walk him, brush him and happy talk him through it

I want to reach a point where I can leave the house during a storm.............that is my goal.

Another little victory !

2008-05-27T19:47:00.002-04:00

Last night a neighbor set off a round of firecrackers...............O'R 's ears went into action and that was it......head never left the bed and I praised him mightily !

At around 3 am he jumped off the bed and went to the window.............lightening in the distance along with a rumble of faraway thunder.............I went to the computer and checked radar............it was a small cell so I did not dose him...........after a few minutes of coaxing he got back on the bed and I praised and offered a treat (which he declined) but he was quiet and so was the storm

Unrelated to storm phobia, and realizing he'll be 11 on October 31st, I am sensing a few small changes that I want to record...............his muzzle is whitening.........he often won't jump into the back seat of the car from the garage...........I think the space is confining and it is uncomfortable, perhaps? So I back the car out onto the driveway......stop and get out and he bounds towards me from the garage and hops right in :) He is not guzzling his food as he normally did..........I frost the top of his kibble with Alpo prime cuts to cover his 2 daily pills but lately I think he's leaving some (not hungry?) (hoping I'll come back and coat some more?) when I do he happily finishes :)

Sometimes, in the morning, he stays on the bed when I get up.........for maybe 10 0r more minutes.................a new behavior............no worries.........just observations.......I think :(

A correction

2008-05-09T20:02:00.003-04:00

I mistakenly said I had given O'Riley Clomicalm (Clomipramine) at the onset of a storm...........I meant to say I gave him Clonazepam.........it can be confusing as they both start with Clo :)

I also wanted to mention that once the storm season was over last fall I cut back by 50 % his daily dosage of Clomipramine ( Clomicalm)

Another Season, Another Show !

2008-04-26T18:52:00.002-04:00

Welcome, 2008 storm season !

This year is going to be one of many successes, I'm sure, with lessons learned from last year , thus a more positive, less stressful approach to storms by MOI :)

Today I went to my grand son's varsity baseball game...........unseasonably warm for this time of year ( 84) with storms predicted later on in the afternoon.........I left O'Riley outside as was his wish ; ) .................after an hour or so I heard a thunder boom in the far distance and came home immediately..........O'R was anxious, of course, but I ( rather than rushing to the computer to track a storm or leaping to the fridge for cheese to give with pills) greeted O with a happy, calm
" Hi there, Bunny..........looks like we may have some weather approaching?" ...........and casually offered him 2 1/2 mg of Clomicalm ( an extra half pill as this was our first dose of the season ........does that make sense? (makes little to me, but did at the time ! ) )

It takes 45 minutes, give or take 10, for the meds to work, but work they did !!!!!!!!!! On a scale of 1-10 I would categorize this storm a 7 .............lots of loud thunder, a few CRACKS like it was next to the couch and he was calm and lying down near me..........and he was like that till it was over..............no shaking and shivering........no clawing.........

What a GREAT start to the season :)

How Time Flies !

2007-08-17T18:09:00.000-04:00

Hard to believe that almost 2 months have elapsed since I last blogged ! But, O'Riley's behavior has been pretty consistent so nothing really new to report.

We had a very strong and unpredictable thunderstorm this afternoon........the temps have fallen 20 degrees in an hour ! Anyway, obviously no time to give meds...........O'R was nervous.....ears back, tail between legs, panting..........and he was glued to me.............I played dumb................"What thunder?" and calmly poured a glass of wine and went to the deck ( he chose not to join me) and read a magazine for 45 minutes while it thundered and lightened ........I neither saw nor heard O'Riley, but I think he was under the kitchen table...........so I think I need to work on "ME" ............rather than stressing out and canceling appointments I need to leave the house and believe that the whole house is his 'safe place' This is my next project..............." ME" :)

We are now going to try giving O'R the generic form of Clomicalm and see if that works as well.....sometimes it doesn't, but it is MUCH less expensive so my fingers are crossed that it will be successful...........Dr A told me that Target seems to have the best prices and she was right ! They are almost half the cost of Wegman's !!

Dr A's clinic has a wonderful kennel where dogs with medical needs are well cared for.........I was given a tour and was SO impressed with how clean and neat it is and the kennel manager was so
friendly and knowledgeable and obviously loves what he does ! I left O'R there for one night while we were on vacation (storms were predicted that night and I didn't want to have my neighbor who always 'sits' O'Riley to have to deal) and he was fine !!!!!!!!!!!!! It is such a relief to know I have that option when I need it !!

As much as I love summer, I am looking forward to fall and winter and no storms ! I am so pleased with the progress we have made, and I can't say enough about working with a Vet who understands canine behavior to the degree that Dr A does and so seamlessly combines drug therapy and behavior modification to improve my dog's (and my) quality of life to the degree that it has this summer !!!!!!!!!!

Verrrrrry Interesting ~

2007-06-21T15:00:00.000-04:00

We had an unexpected line of storms that just passed by..........no chance to dose O'Riley.........when he approached me at the first clap I jumped up, went to the kitchen and did the 'happy talk' game (I NEVER was able to do that before because he was SO panicked he simply could not 'hear' me) ............." Want a treat, O'Riley?"............. " Let's have some peanut butter, okay?"...well, you get the drift.............he wouldn't take a treat .....BUT..........he was okay.........no pawing...........we went into the bedroom, turned the TV up and I hopped up on the bed and he followed, digging at the pillows and NOT me :) :) :) ............I covered him with a quilt and he buried his head in the pillows...........I praised and praised.............GOOD BOY !!!!!!!!!!! After a while and some nice cracks of thunder ( and LOTS of 'you are the BEST BOY pats') I got up and came out here to the computer..........he is still on the bed, the sun is out and all is well.............Oh, Happy Day :)

Truly, if someone had told me a few months ago that I would be writing the above I simply would not have believed them !!!!!!

We were tested today !

2007-06-19T19:50:00.000-04:00

We had two rounds of heavy storms and high winds today. We got off to a shaky start as I was walking him on the canal when I realized the skies were turning black sooner than I had thought. ( I had given him 2 mg Clon at 1 PM before we left) We rushed home and I was racing around shutting windows etc. when we heard the first loud clap ........the winds came up and it poured buckets............all of that unnerved O'R and he was clawing and panicky.........I tried to redirect him........told him to sit, but he was too upset to listen.........I went out on the deck and he pawed for a bit and then settled down inside.

We had a respite for a few hours and then the next round came...........they predicted even stronger thunder/winds gusting to 60 mph !!!!!!!!!! So I gave him another 2 mg dose..........I sensed he needed more so an hour later I gave him 1 1/2 mg......................well, he settled right down and was literally unreactive for the rest of the evening...and the thunder was LOUD !!!!!!!....he's sleeping next to me ......as long as he is near me when he's sedated he seems fine..............

All I can think of is what it would have been like w/o his meds !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Storm? What Storm?

2007-06-09T08:05:00.000-04:00

Well, now I'm really a believer..........Yesterday afternoon and evening we had one hum dinger of a storm.........lightening, high winds, thunder, heavy rain, tornado watches in surrounding counties................and O'R sailed right through..........I gave him 2 Clon's at 5 pm and that held him till it was all over around 8:30.........he focuses intensely on his rawhide bones..........and he isn't trembling and shaking all over like he used to.......and he leaves me alone !!!!!!!!

Ahhhh, no more walking in the pouring rain.........no more driving the streets with O'R's wet head sticking out the window ..............Ahhhhhhhhh, Bliss :)

Learning Fom Every Rumble !

2007-06-03T15:54:00.000-04:00

For the past 2 hours we have had a moderately hefty storm.......no lightening flashes but constant rolling/rumbling thunder and some pretty gusty winds and rain.......I was on the couch reading and O'R heard the first rumble ( I didn't) He started to cry and paw/claw at me.........I jumped off the couch and yelled NO !! ( I do this because my skin is so thin from all the years of Prednisone that it tears easily, so I tend to panic in an effort to get away) My yelling NO ! simply raises him to the next level of anxiousness :( This time I grabbed 2 Clon and cheese and went outside on the deck...........he started to claw at the door but stopped and just whined........I opened the door and gave him the pills without looking at him, closed the door and went back to the deck, ignoring him completely........... he sat at the door and whined, but not loudly and soon he was lying down on the floor by the door...........this all happened before the Clon could possibly have taken effect..............he remained calm throughout the 2 hours...........I came in a few times and rewarded him with treats.....Good Boy !! I'm not really sure he needed the Clon, but am not going to push my luck just yet !

I feel that this change is a combination of the daily Clomicalm, ignoring his attention seeking behavior AND removing myself from him........when I do this I am not stressed and, therefore, neither is he !

I can hardly believe this and I feel like jumping in my car and racing over to give Dr A a big hug :)

8 days of near Bliss !

2007-06-01T19:44:00.000-04:00

All in all, we've been doing great ! But, of course, we've had .24" of rain the whole month of May, so not much thunder !

A few days ago, late morning, I was at the computer.............high pressure; not a cloud in the sky.......O'R suddenly snapped his head up and, before I could even react he was at my side and clawed me, breaking the skin.............he was NOT to be calmed, so after I bandaged my arm, I came outside, leaving him in and ignored his clawing and crying at the door ...........he stopped after a short while and lay down by the door to the deck where I was and it was over.

The last two nights 'chance' of thunderstorms have been predicted.............I am so against medicating him unless absolutely necessary that I have become expert at reading satellite/radar maps and have about 4 websites that I visit to predict storms.............both nights I have decided that the storm threat is too minimal to medicate him and I have been right so far......YAY !!!!!!!!!

O'R got his summer puppy cut yesterday.......he looks SO cute ! When he lies on his side he looks like a little fawn with his white underbelly..........when I brought him in the groomer's he was all happy and tail waggy..........the moment the groomer started to lead him to the back he played 'dead'......went limp, slithered to the floor and rolled over...........and, I was told he barked excitedly at everyone one who entered the groomer's shop.........:(

My sweet anxious boy....

Storms predicted throughout the weekend...........hoping we'll do great and that I can start leaving him in the upstairs bedroom when I need a break or have to leave.

O'R, you are a mystery !

2007-05-24T19:59:00.000-04:00

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Dear O'Riley,
Oh, how I wish we could 'talk' :( Today was very hot and humid (we set a record of 90' today) yet there was nary a cloud in the sky or a storm in 100 miles in any direction........and yet you were troubled..............your ears were back, you were listening so carefully, you were panting, whiny and you were anxious..........after awhile you started to paw at me.........I finally gave you 2 mg Clon............I HAD to leave ( I left you outside) and knew you would be okay as there were no storms in sight. When I arrived home you were fine.
Later we went on a Golden Retriever Rescue home visit.........you were SO good and everyone loved you yet you were still panty/anxious ( hard to tell if it was the strange house and people or a continuation of your earlier anxiety)
I wish you could tell me why you feel anxious.........my gut tells me it is weather related......that the heat and humidity and barometric pressure affect you.........whatever it is you are calm now and lying next to me with the fan gently ruffling your fur..........a week from today you will get you puppy-cut and will look even cuter than you already are :)
You are a very good Boy !
posted by Tigerbi @ 4:34 PM 0 comments

New 'Upstairs' Safe Room Plan

2007-05-21T19:56:00.000-04:00

In order to truly acclimate O'Riley to feeling safe in an enclosed area I have decided the basement is just not feasible............he needs a minimum of 15 visits per day as training and I just am NOT going to be able to manage climbing stairs that often...........

Because he has responded so well to the meds that Dr A has prescribed I feel he can be placed in a guest room with a gate at the doorway.......I will empty out a walk in closet so that he has a nice 'den' atmosphere with bedding and yummy kongs to keep him busy.........Dr A had been concerned about my having to go up and down the stairs that often but I just didn't feel I had a choice ( that was PRE new meds !!)

So that is our mission this week..........lots of fun in Ye Olde Gueste Roome :)

A Good Night ! :)

2007-05-16T16:18:00.000-04:00

Well, we had some pretty severe weather last night and O'R got through it like a champ ! His Clon worked like a charm and even though he would raise his head at the sight of lightening peeking through the shades and loud claps he responded to my hand on his side and my words of 'calm.........calm...........good boy........calm' ( It's a good thing he behaved because 'American Idol' was on and I would have been very unhappy had I been interrupted !!) :)

If it stormed after 10 last night we didn't hear it as we were fast asleep :)

We have a nice, week long reprieve of lovely weather to look forward to now !!!!!!!!!!!

Big Boomers predicted for tonight ~

2007-05-15T19:17:00.000-04:00

Very unsettled weather today.........some storms early and I medicated O'R with two Clom ........more predicted this afternoon and for after nine tonight so he will recieve the maximum dosage of 6 (12 mg) by 9 tonight............am hoping that being on the bed next to me with my verbal calming cues plus the meds will get him through w/o too much trouble..

Thoughts on O'Riley's General Behavior

2007-05-14T20:01:00.000-04:00

I have noticed that since my daughter and grand daughter arrived last Tuesday, O'Riley has been anxious at times...........our schedule is completely different from the norm ......I am not home as much, his exersize has decreased, and there is much more activity around my house on a daily basis ..............his response has been primarily increased 'licking' episodes...........today I noticed he has licked his back leg raw :( ( When I first adopted him his paws were bleeding......I assumed he was allergic, but turned out it was stress licking )

It is hard for him to adjust to changes from our normal routine. I had hoped that the daily dose of Clomicalm would help but it seems not to at all.........

He is incredibly patient and gentle with 3 year old Lucy who steps on him unintentiaonally and loves to 'hug' him...............I have never heard O'R growl, but I still am on 'red alert' and I let Lucy know she must be careful and gentle with him ! ( Though I'm sure her constant motion unnerves him) !!

We have a few storms predicted in the next few days.......looking forward to good results !!!!!!!!

( Fingers and Paws crossed !!)

Quick update

2007-05-10T16:02:00.000-04:00

O'Riley got through the morning storms without touching me.........he chewed so hard on the bully bone that I noticed a bit of blood on the white bone so I had to take it away.............by then the storms had stopped. I am truly elated !! Now we'll have to see how he is with the strong boomers with lightening !

Thankfully, no storms for the weekend so I don't need to worry about Judy having to take him tomorrow night.........

My goal for the next week is to be more diligent about training him to stay alone in his 'safe' place downstairs.........right now I am very happy :)

Thursday, May 10th

2007-05-10T10:21:00.000-04:00

This morning at 8 I gave O'Riley 2 Clonazepam as storms were predicted. It is now 10:30 and we have had rumbling thunder off and on and O'R is calm. I have to say I am in rather a state of shock !!!!!! He has not approached me at all...............I gave him a bully stick and he is chewing on that almost constantly. He is also very thirsty. So far so good !!

Two weeks of Peace?

2007-05-01T18:57:00.000-04:00

Today there are strong storms in Northern Pa. O'Riley has been crying softly off and on.........he is sensing something that is happening a hundred miles away? I find this amazing !

My neighbor Jim made my Dutch door today............so now I can start leaving O'Riley down there with a delicious stuffed kong and a comfy bed and music AND a fan for white noise......Somehow I feel that a Dutch door will be

10 times better than a closed door............just my hunch. Anyway, as Dr A suggested, short stints and let him out when he is calm, not fussing.

My internet weather man tells me we re going to have 2 weeks of high pressure...........this is great news as my Daughter Katy and Granddaughter Lucy are coming from Colorado this Tuesday for a 9 day visit ( I'm including a favorite photo of Lucy cuddling with gentle O'Riley)

2007-05-01T12:48:00.001-04:00

Sunday night
Last night O'Riley woke me whining and clawing ......I knew that there was a slight chance of a passing thunderstorm but it was so slight that I did not medicate him........so, Murphy's Law being as it is we must have had a rumble...........I never heard it, but I got up and gave him two pills and put a tee shirt on him.........he settled very quickly..........too quickly for the Clonazepam to have taken effect, I'm sure and that was that. One thing I'm liking about the Clon is there don't seem to be any side effects after it's been in his system for awhile. The Xanax gave him terrible munchies and he acted like a very rude, crude drunk

The basement dutch door is still waiting to be done.........hopefully that will happen today!
No replies - reply

2007-05-01T12:47:00.000-04:00

April 27, 2007 2:19 PM # Edit this entry
Today's report
Last night we had no storm although predicted..........but I gave him one Clon at bedtime.

Today was very odd........

I am on the couch reading this afternoon.........O'R is lying on the floor beside me...........there is a sudden clap of thunder.........he stays lying down but starts to shake all over...........I tell him to 'calm' and stroke his back..............5 minutes later a flash of lightening that we both saw out the picture window and a BOOM........same response...........a few minutes later the rain pounds against the window and another loud clap...........he continues lying down with head up,ears back, trembling, but MUCH calmer than normal.......and that was the end of the storm....Why this change in response?

1) Could the Clomicalm be helping even though he's only been on it 6 days ?

2) Was it the short bursts of noise and not the normal rumbling as a storm moves in?

Thankfully no storms in sight for awhile so I can start leaving him in the laundry room for short periods with delicious kongs to chew on.......I've had to nag my next door neighbor a bit to make the dutch door this weekend and I got the hardware we need today..........and onward we go !

2007-05-01T12:45:00.000-04:00

O'Riley's Journey towards Noise Phobia freedom
My lovely, gentle 9 yr old Golden, O'Riley, who I adopted in November of 2003 is a perfect dog in every way.................unfortunately, he has severe noise phobia.......thunderstorms turn him into a crazed,clawing, terrorized wild animal.

He clings to me and tries to claw his way inside me...........it has been a difficult time but this blog is to hopefully celebrate his release and mine from the intensity of his fear.

Having been on a hit or miss mish mash of meds .......Valium.........Ace.........Xanax, I finally (at the suggestion of my vet) contacted a Vet Behaviorist. We had our first meeting on 4/20/07............I will call her Dr A............we talked for 2 1/2 hours as she also observed O'Riley. I felt an immediate connection with her and knew, with NO doubt that she was passionate and dedicated to making O'Riley's life a happier one. We discussed drug therapy and behavior modification.......it is clear that O'R and I have a lot of work to do..

This journal is sinply to keep track of meds given and when/why ..........and the result of the meds AND training.

Dr A has suggested we start O'Riley on 40 mg Clomicalm 2x/day for two weeks and in two weeks (May 11th) begin 60 mg 2x/day........this is an anti-anxiety drug that he will be on for the season............and,when needed , before a storm, I will give him 1-2 2mg tabs of clonazepam and can repeat 1 to 2 times/day, not exceeding 6 tabs/day

I need to work hard at re introducing him to MY being the very benevolent yet strong leader........I need to teach him how to 'calm' ...........I need to make a safe room in the basement and make it a happy place to go..........so that when I am not home he can be put there and not freak out.

Today we have had cloudy. rainy weather, but nothing at all severe, yet O'Riley has been anxious and whiny........because we live near Lake Ontario, it is very difficult to predict storms............tonight a thunderstorm or two have been predicted.........I gave O'R 4 mg of Clon at 6pm..............he is no longer whining but he is watching my every move...........We wil see how tonight goes.........I have a white noise machine in my bedroom and with the TV on and shades drawn I am hoping for a quiet night..........I have no problem re-dosing him if we have more storms tonight !