Wiley has had thunderphobia since I adopted him 8 years ago (and no doubt before). I tried everything I know of including drugs and holistic remedies, anxiety wraps, and de- sensitization tapes. He also has crate/closed-in-a-small-space phobia. He drools, trembles, pants, really just loses his mind.
Now he is an old dog- maybe 13? Maybe more? Has some arthritis, some hearing loss, a little dementia. Sleeps the sleep of an old dog, and often doesn't wake up even when I come home. Still enjoys much of life, esp off leash walks at the park, which we do daily.
But the thunderphobia is wearing me down, and it's gotten worse with age. And the weather in Iowa has become worse, too- thunder storms nearly daily (nightly). This morning, began around 4:30, and was terribly intense, with lots of very close lightening, lasting for 2+ hours. I awaken to Wiley pawing my head/face, drooling, trembling like vibrating bed. He never gets on the bed and would never maul me like this, but he is literally out of his mind with fear.
I've tried shutting him out of my room, but he just blams the door, which terrifies Neekoh and certainly doesn't solve the problem. Last night, I got up and went into the 'dog room' to close a window, and he was velcroed to my leg, right in front of Neek's crate (she wasn't in it). I just pushed him in and closed the door. Turned the overhead light on, classical music on high, put a huge fan in front of the crate, white sound machine on top of crate was already going on high. Shut the door and went back to bed. Hard to relax, imagining Wiley in the other room (I've done this before, and he stood up, drooling copiously, panting, trembling, etc for the whole time). I worry that he will actually stroke out.
What to do? I've done 'old dog' before, but not with the
thunderphobia issues. How much quality of life is he really having? (And I must admit to some 'compassion
fatigue' as well
)
