A friend and I recently had a
conversation about our anxious pets. It’s such a helpless feeling when
you see someone you love struggling – especially when it’s your animal.
If only we could communicate in words with them to help them
articulate exactly what’s wrong, and for us to help them understand each
situation better.
Unfortunately, there are no easy answers… I wish there was for my own pets’ sake.
But what I realized is that
all the options we talked about might be things other pet parents would
benefit from hearing too. Maybe you already know about them but for
me, it was helpful to list them out so I could have them all written
down somewhere in one place.
If it would be helpful, I
could go into more depth about each one in later articles. You can also
find more details on my Hand To Paw website www.HandToPaw.com. But
for now, let me at least make a quick go-to list for us all to have as a
helpful summary.
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Things To Help My Anxious Pet:
1) Routine and Consistency
Anxious pets, and people, do better when they know what to expect.
2) Engaging their Senses
This pulls their limbic system into the equation to help calm the “fight or flight” stress response.
a) Sight
Lighting
enough that they can see their way around, but not so much that it’s harshly bright.
b) Sound Calming Music – I like the bio-acoustic research behind the “Through a Dog’s Ear” series. (They have “Through a Cat’s Ear” too.)
c) Smell
Dog Appeasing Pheromone (DAP) I like Adaptil. (They have it for cats
too Feliway)
Essential Oils I like Lavender, Chamomile, Ylang Ylang, and Copaiba.
(Some trustworthy companies are Young Living and Animal EO).
d) Feel
Anxiety Pressure Wraps use gentle body pressure to calm. (I like ThunderShirt)
e) Taste
Well, oral Supplements/Nutraceuticals anyway – like:
Composure by VetriScience (with Vitamin B1, colostrum, and L-Theanine
which increases neurotransmitter GABA, which then increases serotonin
and dopamine).
Herbals like Rescue Remedy for Pets by Bach (contains flower essence
blend).
3) Massage
Decreases heart rate, blood pressure, and respiratory rate. It also aids
in the secretion of oxytocin, the “feel-good chemical”.
Breaks up trigger points which can occur when the body compensates for
injuries. Increases circulation which delivers oxygen and helps clear
toxins. (You can look for a certified animal massage therapist in your
area, or learn how to do it safely at home with my book, “Pet Massage –
How To Safely Massage Your Own Pet At Home”.)
4) Fitness
Even short durations of physical activity before being left alone can
help achieve a state of physiological relaxation, helping to decrease
pent-up excess energy which otherwise could turn into stress and/or
destructive behaviors. (There are specific tips about home
modifications for senior dogs here on the Hand To Paw canine fitness
page.)
5) Reiki
Energy healing that channels the flow of universal life energy (chi) to
improve the flow of energy within another being. Triggers the body’s
own natural healing abilities to decrease anxiety, discomfort, and
stimulate the immune system. Gentle and safe as evidenced by its
increasing use in hospitals with human patients. (You can find more
information about reiki on the Hand To Paw reiki page.)
6) Finding Alternative Options
a) Grooming
Consider mobile groomers who will bring a fully-equipped grooming van
right to your home. Your dog(s) will be the only one(s) there so they
get 1:1 attention and there are no other animals there to stress them.
If you do go to a facility, get to know the groomer who will be working
on your dog and see the same person each time so you establish a
relationship. Make sure they have your contact information if you are
not able to wait there on premise.
b) Boarding
Consider alternatives to kennels with home pet sitting – having someone
come over a few times each day to bring them out for the bathroom,
bring them for a walk, feed them, and even get in some snuggle time.
You may even hve the option of them staying overnight at your house with
them. If you do use a kennel, many have “doggy daycare” also, so try
bringing your pet there just for the day a couple times before being
there for an overnight so they can get familiar with the place and its
people. Make sure they have your contact information in case of
emergency.
7) Educational Books
Three of my favorites are:
A Guide to Living With & Training a Fearful Dog (by Debbie Jacobs)
I’ll Be Home Soon! How to Prevent and Treat Separation Anxiety (by Patricia McConnell)
Don’t Leave Me! Step by Step Help for Your Dog’s Separation Anxiety (by Nicole Wilde)
8) Medication
Prescribed by your vet who knows your pet’s health history to optimize safety.
There are options for both long-term and targeted situational use.
a) Long Acting =
Reconcile (Fluoxetine) – Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitor (SSRI)
Clomacalm (Clomipramine) – Tri-cyclic AntiDepressant (TCA) (blocks re-uptake of serotonin/ norepinephrine, some dopamine)
Anipryl (Selegiline) – for older dogs with canine cognitive dysfunction
b) Short Acting =
Alprazolam (Xanax) and Diazapam (Valium) – Benzodiazepines
give 1 hour prior to event, helps for 6-8 hours.
c) Off-label (used by veterinarianss, though not officially approved as behavioral medications) =
Gabapentin (typically used to control seizures and/or chronic pain) –
Has sedating properties, so used with older dogs who may also have joint discomfort.
Phenobarbital (another one typically used for seizure control) – has sedating properties
Trazadone – sedation and anti-anxiety properties in one med
(but gives a more significant sedation, which may be more than needed)
*Warning: do not use Ace Promazine (a Phenothiazene tranquilizer)
although classified as a sedative, it can have paradoxical effects –
making animals who are already noise sensitive, even more reactive to
noise (since the body is relaxed, but the mind may stays active). It
can also decrease blood pressure too much.
*New to Watch: Cannabidoil (Vet CBD by Pet Cannabis Company) which
does not contain THC, was developed by a vet for pets, but right now
only available through medical marijuana dispensaries. It is said to
help with anxiety, pain, arthritis, nausea, and even seizures.
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From what I have learned and experienced, the best approach is a multi-modal approach of layering
using multiple modalities to benefit from the enhanced synergy that comes from combining safe alternatives.
(*Warning do not use multiple medications at once unless directed so by your pet’s primary veterinarian.)
We could go into full articles for each one of these aspects of finding ways to help calm anxious pets…..
(and maybe we will at a later date – note to self).
But for now, at least this can serve as an over-view to keep some ideas
on the tips of our brains if and when we and our pets need it.