My dog is quiet and not eating during a thunderstorm. Is he afraid?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Loss of appetite can be observed with many conditions such as gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, kidney disease, pancreatitis, among many other possibilities. This could of course be due to him being afraid of getting attacked. You can try to feed him separately to try to avoid him getting bullied. If this continues despite that, I recommend that you have Mikey evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and others depending on the findings on exam. Treatment would be based on findings. Good luck and have a great day! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. You can try and add chicken broth or chicken breast to the food to see if this entices his appetite. If he still has no interest in the food, he may still be scared from whatever noise startled him. If this is the case, he will most likely eat normally within 24 hours. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if it was any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Poor Max! The fear may have caused him to vomit, but it could also be a GI illness, he may have eaten something rotten, has a foreign body, or pancreatitis. I can give you a home remedy to see if that helps. Withhold food for 12-24 hours, then feed a bland diet of boiled white meat chicken (no bones) and white rice in small amounts several times a day for a couple of days. Then slowly add back in his normal diet. If the vomiting continues in the absence of food, he vomits the bland diet, develops diarrhea, stops drinking water, starts vomiting water, or becomes very lethargic, he will need to see a vet right away. Best of luck.

Poor girl! Yes, this could be stress from the thunderstorms. Fireworks and loud noises can be really scary for dogs. One important thing to do to when your dog acts scared is not to reassure her. We think we are comforting her when we do that, but it's actually reinforcing the behavior and telling her it's ok to be scared. I recommend getting her a thundershirt to wear when there are fireworks or loud noises. These have been reported to help dogs with anxiety. At home, you can put her in a dark quiet room by herself to self-soothe. You can also turn on the TV or music to block out the sound. Finally, you can consider get a pheromone diffuser called DAP that helps dogs with anxiety.

I'm sorry to hear Gizmo isn't acting himself! Without seeing him it is very hard to say. It sound like he could be painful and he's acting anxious. I recommend taking him to the vet for a full physical exam. Have them check for pain in his limbs or spine. Have them check for an ear infection or any evidence of fleas. Also have them check his anal glands. These are common areas that pets have problems and show signs of anxiety. I would also question if there have been any loud noises or thunder storms. These things can also cause stress in pets. Please do not give any medications over the counter until you talk to your vet. Good luck and kisses to Gizmo!

I'm sorry to hear of your concerns with Luigi. It is unlikely that he is not eating much due to a lack of sleep. Dogs will often nap throughout the day. It is possible that he caught up on his sleep while you were out doing other things. If his appetite continues to be decreased or he seems lethargic, I would recommend having him seen by your veterinarian to ensure there is nothing else going on. Stress from loud noises can cause changes in behavior. If the neighborhood is quiet again and Luigi's behavior does not return to normal, it could be that he has an underlying medical condition.

I am sorry to hear about Chewie. The storms and fireworks can definitely cause extreme anxiety in some pets. I would recommend discussing with your vet if there is a prescription medication they feel is appropriate for him knowing his medical history to see if this helps if the storms are still ongoing. You can also try an Adaptil collar (a calming pheremone product), a Thundershirt (compression vest for anxiety) and a calming supplement like Zylkene or Composure, all available online or sometimes at pet stores or vet offices. If the strange behavior continues then an exam is recommended.