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Sedation for Airlines & Thunderstorms
Thunderstorms
Airlines
Thunderstorms
Medicating pets who respond with anxiety to thunderstorms may or may not resolve the problem. Traditionally in veterinary medicine, tranquilizers have been used to sedate animals and depress symptoms of anxiety. Tranquilizers are not always successful in managing anxious behaviors. Sometimes oral medications given just before an event such as a thunderstorm may not take effect soon enough. Animals seem to sense barometric pressure changes long before the lightning and thunder strike.
More recently, veterinarians prefer to pursue a more thorough investigation into all causes of anxiety for your pet. A treatment plan may now include newer medications similar in action to Prozac (Fluoxetine) given daily to decrease anxieties. Desensitization and other behavior modification techniques may also be recommended. Additionally,
the risks of the animal having a "sub-surface" problem, such as
borderline kidney or heart failure may worsen with use
(especially chronic use) of medication.
An option is to try to "desensitize" the
animal to the thunderstorms. Many 'sound effects' or 'Nature' tapes and CD's
have the sounds of thunderstorms. If you use what we call the
"Jolly Routine", where you make very happy and praising type
sounds and motions, such that the animal gets happy and excited, just before
and during the start of the thunderstorm sounds (played at a very very low
volume to start and then slowly turned up with repeated sessions) - this may
override the unwanted behavior, and slowly associate a good feeling, and
hopefully improved behavior when the real thing occurs.
Please consult with your veterinarian for the optimal treatment plan for your pet.
Air
Transport & Sedation
The following article highlights our
concerns with sedating animals for airline flights (we are mostly addressing
the pets sent in cargo - not those traveling with the owner in the main
cabin).
AIR TRANSPORT
OF SEDATED PETS
MAY BE FATAL
Dr. Arthur V.
Tennyson, director,
AVMA
Division of
Membership and Field Services
JAVMA, Vol
207, No. 6, Sept. 15, 1995
At a recent meeting between
USDA and airline officials, the
AVMA
learned that
oversedation is the most frequent cause of animal deaths during airline
transport. Though very few of the thousands of animals transported
during the past five years have died while being transported,
investigations revealed that almost half the deaths resulted from
sedation. The second most frequent cause of death was environmental
stress, especially in brachycephalic breeds [short-nosed breeds like
bulldogs and pugs]. Third in frequency were disease complications from
coronavirus, parvovirus, and respiratory diseases that were not evident
during examination, but had a sudden, debilitating onset with the stress
of transport at high altitude. Least common, in fact, rare, were deaths
caused by mishandling by the carriers.
Except in unusual circumstances, veterinarians should not dispense or
prescribe tranquilizers or other sedatives for animals that are to be
transported. Little is known about the effects of sedation on animals
that are under the stress of transportation and are enclosed in cages at
8,000 feet or higher, the altitude at which cargo holds are pressurized.
Additionally, some animals react abnormally to sedatives. Although
animals may be excitable while being handled during the trip to the
airport and prior to loading, they probably revert to a quiescent
resting state in the dark, closed cargo hold, and the sedatives may have
an excessive effect. It also appears that owners who observe an animal
in an excitable state prior to shipment may increase the dosage and
actually overdose the animal. Therefore, in the rare occasions sedation
is necessary, owners should be educated about the effects and delayed
onset of the sedative and be cautioned to follow the prescribed dosage.
Veterinarians should also warn owners of brachycephalic breeds not to
transport their pets during adverse conditions such as high heat and
humidity, and should caution owners of animals with health problems that
the stress of transport might exacerbate the condition.
Please contact us if you have any further questions.
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