Can anxiolytic medications induce long-term improvement in dogs with noise aversion?

Between 30 and 50 per cent of dogs reportedly experience noise aversion.1 Noise aversion is a broad term encompassing a myriad of active and passive behavioural signs of distress – such as hiding, trembling, pacing, panting and hypersalivation – that are triggered by exposure to certain sounds.2 The most common triggers are loud, sudden noises such as fireworks, thunder and gunshots. The exact aetiology of noise aversion is unknown, but some risk factors have been identified. These suggest that, like most pathological emotional and behavioural conditions, noise aversion likely develops due to a combination of multiple genetic and environmental factors. Various breeds may be more prone to suffering from noise aversion,1 and behavioural signs of distress also seem to differ between breeds.3 Lack of exposure to provocative noises early in development may also be a predisposing factor to noise aversion in dogs. However, the prevalence of noise aversion seems to increase with age.1 Sensitisation to fear-producing noises with repeated exposures and age-related cognitive changes may be a factor in the development or worsening of noise aversion in older dogs.4 Other medical conditions, such as hypothyroidism5 and musculoskeletal pain,6 have also been linked to noise aversion. It is reasonable to assume that dogs suffering from any pain or discomfort, regardless of the source, may become acutely uncomfortable when startled by sounds, thereby strengthening the negative association with not just the aversive noise but also the location or other environmental stimuli present at the time of the noise event.6 The links between noise aversion and physical condition are strong enough to warrant a thorough physical examination and minimum biochemical assessment for dogs presenting with signs of noise aversion. Treatment of comorbidities, including a possible pain medication trial, may be an important step in …