– Anxiety in pets can range from mild to severe and can be situational (for example, only at the vet, but they are fine everywhere else) or generalized (most of the time) – Signs of anxiety vary widely by pet and can include any number of behaviors not on this list, but here are a few of the most common
– Signs/behaviors that occur or are noticeably worse when owners are absent, or during loud noises such as thunderstorms or fireworks.
– Panting and restlessness/pacing
– vocalizing/whining
– Hiding or going to unusual spots for the pet (under the bed, the bathtub, etc.) – Excessive drooling
– Excessive licking of paws, the carpet, etc.
– Trying to escape from the kennel or home, often accompanied by biting at bars, walls, etc.
– Excessive chewing or destruction of furniture, walls, or other objects
– urinating or defecating inside – or outside the litterbox for cats
It is important to note that MANY medical conditions can also cause the above signs including: pain, dental disease, allergies, infections, lower urinary conditions, GI conditions, hormone-related conditions, and neurological conditions. See your vet for help in getting the best diagnosis and treatment for your pet.
What you can do at home:
– Walks– walks offer not only physical activity and muscle building, but are also great for anxiety conditions. With time and patience, many cats can also be harness trained and can join you for a romp around the block too! Ask your veterinarian how much, how often, and what type of exercise might be best for your pet.
– Training and practicing “tricks” – Overall, training is associated with less stress because it gives pets mental stimulation and builds their confidence in themselves and in their world. Ideally these are about 5 minutes for puppies and kittens but can be repeated throughout the day if time and schedule allows. For adults, training sessions can slowly increase to an hour or more if you and your pet enjoy it. Starting with simple commands like sit, stay, come, lie down etc. These can slowly grow into more complex routines. The sky is the limit! There are great free online resources, local training classes, and personal trainers who can help get you started.
In the immediate term, practicing a trick gives your pet a mental task that allows their brain to focus on the present and can help get them out of a mild-moderate anxious state. I use this technique in the exam room frequently. If I see a pet is nervous, I grab the treats and ask him to sit. His demeanor often changes, he sits, gets his treat, and is
more relaxed. He feels more in control because even though the vet’s office is different and unpredictable to him, I just gave him something he could control and predict. I say sit, he gets a treat. This is a familiar cause-and-effect for him and he is a little less worried about what I am doing. If the pet is mildly or severely anxious, this may not be enough.
– Other enrichment – Life, job, and health conditions of owner and pets can sometimes limit the ability to walk or spend alot of time training. Luckily, there are several things we can do to keep our fuzzy friends engaged to help their brain avoid those anxious patterns. Check out your local pet store or favorite online retailer for different puzzle toys, snuffle mats, etc. Another free option is to hide small amounts of food or a small treat in various locations around the house. Think under the bed, behind a couch pillow, in odd rooms of the house, etc.. This is particularly rewarding for cats as it allows them to express their natural desire to go “hunting” around their environment. For cats, consider hiding their “prey” on a safe surface up high such as on a windowsill, top of a refrigerator or washing machine, cat tree, etc.
– Pheromones – There are calming pheromones available commercially for both dogs and cats. These actually have a fair bit of science behind them and I feel they help for many pets especially in conjunction with supplements and some of the
recommendations above.
– Supplements – There are a whole host of supplements out there, some of which seem to help more than others. The ones that have some scientific evidence and that my clients have had the best luck with are, in no particular order: Zylkene by Vetoquinol, Solliquin by Nutrimax, FortiFlora Calming Care Probiotic by Purina, and Composure by VetriScience.
What about CBD? The verdict is still out on this. One study result showed that 49% of pet owners felt that CBD helped with their pet’s anxiety. We do think that twice daily dosing may be more effective than once daily or occasional dosing. Be careful to avoid THC in all pets.
– Pressure vests- pressure vests do help with anxiety, but need to be worn about 5 times for maximum results. It is unlikely to solve the problem entirely but is a good adjunct to other measures.
– Prescription options- if anxiety, OCD, or noise phobia is moderate to severe, it is likely that the above solutions will not be enough for your pet. Anxiety disorders are common and can seriously affect the quality of life of both pets and their human family members. Luckily, we often see great improvement with the right medication and targeted training. It is important to note that in many anxiety disorders, training alone will NOT work. It has been shown that the brains of both animals and people are physically incapable of learning when they are in a “fight or flight state” or “panic mode”. Many owners come to me after thousands of dollars of training but the problem is not any better. They are
shocked to learn that medication is crucial in these cases to lower fear threshold and put the panic at bay, so that training will actually work. On the other side, medication alone is often not sufficient for long term success without some training. Talk with your veterinarian to see if your pet may be a candidate for medication.
