A New Clinical Trial Aims to Help Anxious Dogs Cope With Thunderstorms
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If you're a dog owner, Florida's afternoon summer showers can mean less relief from sweltering temps and more reminders of your pup's anxiety about storms.
But a new clinical trial wants to provide some relief for you and your four-legged bestie. And lucky for local pet owners, Bayshore Veterinary Group in Bradenton is participating in the study.
According to research from ElleVest Pet, up to half of all dogs experience thunderstorm anxiety, an extreme reaction not only to the sound of thunder, but also the external factors that signal that a storm is on its way. Symptoms include hiding, cowering, aggressive behavior, panting, drooling, "freezing" in one spot, trembling and shaking, howling, restlessness and, in some cases, self harm. And because some dogs react to changes in barometric pressure before thunderstorms happen, signs of anxiety can manifest in dogs up to three days before a storm—and it can take hours or days for them to recover.
In thunderstorm- and hurricane-prone Florida, that's a big deal.
Now, animal biotech firm Visionaire Research and Education is looking for dogs in the southeastern U.S. to participate in a clinical trial for a new twice-daily oral medication that could help dogs remain calm before, during and after thunderstorms—even during peak storm season, which runs June 1 through Nov. 30, and even when their owners aren't at home.
It's also a potential move away from the commonly used sedatives and medications on the market right now. "They're not a healthy way to deal with anxiety," says Dr. Ivan Ivanov, the managing vet at Bayshore Veterinary Group. He's been practicing since 1997. Although they can be helpful in the short term, long-term use of sedatives in pets can lead to a variety of health issues down the road, including potential liver and kidney damage.
And not addressing anxiety in pets can also have damaging side effects. Ivanov adds that, as in humans, stress can cause physical illness and suppressed immune systems in dogs. "The goal of the study is to find a medicine that can help dogs through the [storm] season with less irritation," he says.
Participating pups are given an oral medication twice daily during storm season; the data collected in the trial will be submitted to regulatory authorities worldwide for review, including the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), with the goal of achieving approval to treat dogs with the medication.
The two-month trial period requires two veterinary visits with your dog, and owners will have up to two phone calls with the Visionaire Research and Education team during the study. Dog owners who enroll their pups in the study receive the medication free of charge. Owners are also responsible for reporting their dogs' behavior throughout the course of the study. Enrollment is open through Aug. 11, 2025.
How to Help Your Dog Stay Calm During a Storm
If you can't participate in the clinical trial but want to help your dog stay relaxed and calm during a storm, here are Dr. Ivanov's top tips.
Create a safe place for dogs to hide
"Often, dogs like to go in a closet, or in a room with no windows," Ivanov says. Creating a safe space they know they can go to can help reduce anxiety.
Reduce noise as much as possible
That could mean turning up the volume on your TV or playing classical music to interrupt storm-related noise as much as possible.
Rely on the power of touch
Be present and pet your dog throughout the storm, Ivanov suggests, "or try something like a Thundershirt," which provides comforting compression.
For more information or to apply to participate in the study, click here.
