HEALTH - New Medication for Dogs with Noise Anxiety

It’s a common sight - Fido panting, trembling or running for cover when he hears loud noises like thunder or fireworks.

Noise aversion or anxiety has been treated with anti-anxiety medicine, tranquilizers and behaviour modification with mixed results.

Now pet owners have a new option - a gel medication that can be safely administered at home to help calm dogs without sedation. This allows dogs with noise aversion to remain calm yet fully functional.

Manufactured by Zoetis, SILEO is a gel formulation of dexmedetomidine, a highly selective alpha-2 adrenoceptor agonist that blocks norepinephrine release, a chemical in the brain that is involved with the development of fear and anxiety.

“We know that noise aversion has been difficult to treat, is stressful for pet owners and can be traumatic for their dogs. SILEO works the way veterinarians and pet owners need it to work, calming dogs while allowing them to interact normally with the family,” said Shelley L. Stanford, DVM, MS, MBA, group director, Companion Animal Veterinary Professional Services at Zoetis.

“It has rapid speed of onset, is easy to administer at home and works ‘in the moment,’ without any other treatments or training.”

SIELO is the first and only medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of noise aversion in dogs.

Each dose lasts two to three hours and takes effect within 30-60 minutes after application.

The first dose can be given as soon as the dog shows signs of anxiety and fear, or approximately 30–60 minutes before a known anxiety- or fear-causing noise stimulus, such as fireworks.