New 'Dog Storm Study' Offers Free Anxiety Medication for Pets

Understanding Storm Anxiety in Dogs

• ⛈️ Florida is known as the lightning capital of the US, leading to significant storm anxiety in many dogs.
• 🐶 Symptoms include whining, pacing, panting, hyperventilating, and shaking, causing distress for both pets and owners.
• ⚠️ Severe anxiety can lead to physical harm, such as broken teeth or cuts from trying to escape, and long-term health issues like GI and cardiac problems.

The Tempest Dog Storm Study

• 💡 The Tempest dog storm study is a new, free, locally offered initiative aimed at finding solutions for storm-related fear and stress in dogs.
• 🔬 This study is investigating a new medication that can be given daily, offering 24-hour protection against anxiety.
• 🧑‍⚕️ Dr. Aaron Canwell, a veterinarian at Brandt Vet Clinic, is one of the clinical investigators involved in the study.

Study Participation and Process

• 📝 Before starting medication, owners complete a survey about their dog's behavior.
• 💊 Participants receive either the study medication or a placebo pill, administered every 12 hours.
• 📊 Researchers collect health information before, during, and after the study period to assess the medication's effectiveness.
• 📈 This is the third and final summer for pets to enroll in the free study.

Future Implications and Registration

• 📜 Pre-screening registration closes by the end of August.
• FDA submission: Results will be submitted to the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Veterinary Medicine for potential future approval.
• 🤝 The study aims to gather more data to understand the drug's potential benefits for a wider population of dogs.