Anxiety in Dogs

By: Monica Bock, Assistant at ZimmVet

As pet owners we want our dogs to feel at ease and to always be happy and healthy! Sometimes depending on the pup and situation however, it can be difficult to manage their stress levels, which may or may not result in numerous behavioral issues. It is important to understand and be aware of issues such as peeing in the house, excessive panting, excessive drooling, chewing at their feet, over licking, etc. may not always be disease related behaviors. Please note however, if your pet is showing any of the listed issues discussed in this post, it is still recommended that the pet be seen by a veterinary professional first before determining if it is truly a stressed induced.

Common signs of stress in pets:

As stated by the AKC the following are common signs of stress and anxiety in pets:

• Aggression
• Urinating or defecating in the house
• Drooling
• Panting
• Destructive behavior
• Depression
• Excessive barking
• Pacing
• Restlessness
• Repetitive or compulsive behaviors

It is important to note that not all pets will deal with stress or anxiety in the same way, as a pet owner getting to know your pet better and dog body language is a key first steps to treating your pet’s overall anxiety.

Different types of stress:

As there is not just one thing that causes anxiety there is typically one of the three types that may cause your pet to exhibit any one of the previously listed signs of anxiety above. One being separation anxiety, fear/noise related anxiety and aging anxiety.

What is separation anxiety?
Separation Anxiety being very common in pets, is the anxiety in which the pet experiences stress when the owner is absent/ way from the pet. While there are different levels of Separation anxiety, it can sometime lead a pet to have some unruly behaviors while their owner is away. According to the RSPCA website, 9 out of 10 dogs experience separation anxiety and may exhibit behaviors such as excessive barking, eliminating in the house, self-harm, or may display more destructive behaviors such as chewing or scratching inappropriate objects.

What is Fear and noise Anxiety?
Your pet may experience fear from loud noises or become anxious at the vet or other new places! Just like human children new experiences and sounds can be scary; depending on how the pet associates the experience anxiety may follow shortly after possibly progressing or becoming worse through time. Some pets may try to escape or hide from the source of their anxiety and in some cases, medication may be needed to manage it.

What is Aging Anxiety?
As our pets age they are going through changes that may cause stress on their mental state. A pet that could like going to the vet may not like it anymore or a pet that loved kids may just want to be left alone and avoid them as they age. It is important to know as a pet ages they may become more painful and not be able to do the same things they once did, because of this they can become stressed and show signs early on.

How to avoid stress:

To keep your pet happy and behaviorally healthy there are ways to avoid anxiety early on in development or to prevent your pets stress and anxiety form worsening over time. If you want to avoid stress/ anxiety early on in puppies or older pups making sure you have basic knowledge of dog body language, specific breed needs and basic personality traits as well as providing proper socialization you too can sometimes avoid major anxiety in your pet

Treatment options:
So, your pet has anxiety, don’t worry all is not lost! After consulting with your Veterinarian, they will provide options based on their observations, that would best suit your pet for them and their type of anxiety. While patients with your pet can play a big part in aiding your pet’s anxiety, there are several things we can try on our journey to an emotionally healthy pet! Your veterinarian may suggest training with a behavioralist-whom is specialized in training pets with anxiety, Socialization, supplemental treatment (natural supplements), or prescribed medication to help your pet’s anxiety.

• Natural/Non-Medication treatment: A natural way to help your pet with anxiety would be training- specifically with a behavioral specialist. A trainer that specializes in anxiety or behaviorally unhealthy pets, will be able to help guide you and the pet

• Natural/Supplemental Treatment: “Natural supplements help dampen the overreaction of the brain” (Krenz 2022), providing the dog with a sense of calm. While one may not see an immediate result, each product has its own trial period in which the medication should be given at specified dosages for best effects. These supplements such as Solliquin, Rescue Remedy, Zylkene and more provide support for mild and moderate anxiety to help a pet strive to become more behaviorally healthy.

• Veterinary treatment-prescription medication: For pets with server anxiety sometimes a vet prescribed medication is needed! Sometimes pets have such anxiety about an event, place, noise, etc. That they need something a bit stronger or maybe even something to pair with one of the other above options. A doctor will evaluate the pet and determine if and what type of prescribed medication best suits your pet. If the pet displays such anxiety that it becomes dangerous, uncomfortable or harmful for you the owner, the pet themselves or others around the pet this may be the best option for you.