My Pet World: Why do dogs and cats get the 'zoomies'?

Cathy M. Rosenthal, Tribune Content Agency on Jan 11, 2023

I have had three dogs in my life with noise phobia and know how stressful this is for any family with a dog afraid of storms and fireworks. You’re trying all the right things, but sometimes you must combine some of these things simultaneously to reduce her anxiety. In other words, one thing may not help, but two or three things combined may be what she needs. So, you may have to try a Thundershirt®, a pheromone collar and/or spray tranquilizers, and sound therapy – like providing white noise or keeping a radio or TV on – to help drown out the noise.

While you can reduce her stress when storms occur, you will never completely eliminate her fear and anxiety. Keep looking for the right combination of things that will, at the very least, reduce her overall reaction to storms.

Dear Cathy,

In the Arizona Daily Star on December 16, 2022, you had a question about a nine-year-old terrier mix with breathing problems. We had a lab mix years ago who had breathing problems and was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. She would tilt her head back to breathe, and if she tried to lie down, she would get back up immediately. Despite medication, we lost her when she was 13 due to her heart condition.

Our last dog, "Gracie," also had a breathing problem. Her problem was different. We had taken her to an oncologist for mast cell tumors. At the time, we had just started noticing she was having difficulty breathing. When I asked the vet about it, she said it sounded like laryngeal paralysis. At 10 years old, Gracie had surgery to address it, and it significantly improved her life. We hand-fed her in small amounts to prevent aspiration. We lost her at age 13 due to bone cancer in her lower left jaw. It was devastating.

Diane's story said she had been to three vets. That's unacceptable; she needs to try a different vet, perhaps at a specialty clinic. I wish her luck.

— Pat & Bill, Tucson, Arizona

Dear Pat and Bill,

Thank you for sharing your story. As pet owners, we are our pet's best advocates. Even if three vets said her dog was OK, if she (or any pet owner) sees their pet struggling to breathe or having any other major health problem, they should return to their vet or find yet another vet to get to the bottom of what's happening.

Pet owners can also look for a holistic veterinarian for complementary and alternative therapies to traditional veterinary medicine.

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(Cathy M. Rosenthal is a longtime animal advocate, author, columnist and pet expert who has more than 25 years in the animal welfare field. Send your pet questions, stories and tips to cathy@petpundit.com. Please include your name, city, and state. You can follow her @cathymrosenthal.)