Fireworks and Thunder Fear: What the Medication Trials Found
Half the dogs in one large survey feared fireworks. What a placebo-controlled trial of a vet medicine found, and what owners said about training.
Written by thecanineledger
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In a 2019 survey of 1,225 dogs, “Fifty-two percent of dogs in the sample (N = 1225) were at least partially affected by firework fears” (Riemer, PLoS One 2019).
While many remedies are sold for scared dogs, few have been tested against a placebo. The strongest trial we found tested a prescription medicine, and it was run by the company that makes it. This page sets out what that trial and the survey found.
1. How fear of fireworks develops
It usually starts young. In the survey, “the majority developed a fear of fireworks in the first year of life”, and few dogs became afraid after seven years.
Recovery varies. “While almost three-quarters of fearful dogs had recovered by the next morning following firework exposure, recovery took up to one day in 10%, up to one week in 12%, and several weeks or even months in >3%.”
Thunder and gunshots too. “Firework fears are highly correlated with fears of gunshots and thunder”.
It can change. Of the fearful dogs whose owners rated the trend, about 30% had improved and about 20% had got worse. The author’s title calls it “Not a one-way road”.
Health. Up to the age of eight, firework fear was “moderately more common in dogs with health problems compared to healthy dogs”. The survey can’t say which comes first.
Our note: The survey linked health problems with firework fear. If your dog’s noise fear starts suddenly or gets worse, ask your vet to check for pain or illness.
2. Can training prevent it?
What owners reported. The author concluded that “training puppies or non-fearful adults to associate the noise with positive stimuli is highly effective in preventing later development of firework fears.”
How strong that is. This was an online survey. Owners chose whether to train, and they rated their own dogs. It wasn’t a trial.
Our note: The survey’s finding on training is promising but self-reported.
→ Reward-Based or Aversive Training: What the Studies Found
3. The medication trial
What was tested. On New Year’s Eve, “182 dogs with a history of acute anxiety and fear associated with fireworks” were given either a sedative gel or a placebo gel, applied inside the mouth (Korpivaara et al., Veterinary Record 2017, abstract). The medicine was given at doses below those that sedate. Neither owners nor researchers knew which dogs had which.
What owners saw. Owners rated the effect excellent or good for 64 of 89 treated dogs (72%), against 34 of 93 dogs on placebo (37%). Treated dogs also showed fewer signs of fear.
The placebo effect. More than a third of owners whose dogs had the placebo rated it excellent or good. That’s worth knowing about any remedy that hasn’t been tested against a placebo.
Who ran it. Three of the five authors work for the drug’s manufacturer. It was one trial, on one night, with owners rating the effect.
Our note: We haven’t checked which countries approve this medicine for noise fear.
Our note: Other prescription options exist. Talk to your vet well before fireworks season.
4. What to ask your vet
- Is my dog’s fear mild, or bad enough to need medicine?
- Could pain or another health problem be making it worse?
- If medicine is an option, when should I start it, and what side effects should I watch for?
- How can I train my dog to cope with noise, and when should I start?
→ Separation Anxiety: Training, Medication, and What the Trials Show
5. What we could not verify
| Commonly said | What we found |
|---|---|
| “Dogs grow out of noise fear” | Sometimes. About 30% of fearful dogs improved in one survey, but about 20% got worse. |
| “It’s just a few dogs” | No. About half the dogs in one large survey were at least partly affected. |
| “Sedation fixes it” | One medicine helped in a trial, at doses below sedation. Its maker ran the trial. |
| “Training can prevent it” | Promising. One owner survey suggests so. We found no trial. |
| “Calming products work” | Not checked. We looked only for placebo-controlled trials of prescription medicine. |
Sources
- Korpivaara M, Laapas K, Huhtinen M, et al. [Drug name omitted] oromucosal gel for noise-associated acute anxiety and fear in dogs: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study. Vet Rec 2017. ⚠️ abstract read. Randomised controlled trial, 182 dogs. Three of five authors employed by the manufacturer
- Riemer S. Not a one-way road—Severity, progression and prevention of firework fears in dogs. PLoS One 2019: online owner survey, 1,225 dogs. Funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation
Always confirm with your vet before acting on anything on this page.