Storm anxiety - new treatment option

For dogs with storm anxiety and their owners, the 4th of July, as well as every summer storm, is a big deal. There are a number of treatment options, including white noise, pressure jackets, and a variety of different drugs that may help to greater or lesser degrees depending on the dog. I recently learned about a new drug on the market, Sileo, which is a drug which has been commonly used as an anesthetic (dexmedetomidine) but is now available in much smaller doses as a treatment for storm anxiety ("noise aversion"). Here is a NYTimes article that discusses storm anxiety and Sileo. Here is a press release from Zoetis, the company that makes the drug.

Of course, the mainstay of treatment for storm anxiety/noise aversion is desensitization. This is a lengthy and involved process and may not be possible for every dog and owner. It is good to know there is one more option to add to our treatment arsenal for affected dogs.