Stress Management for Dogs

STRESS MANAGEMENT IN DOGS

Anxiety in dogs arises for various reasons. It causes a physiological response that can trigger negative and harmful behaviour and create concern and material damage for owners. With 29% of dogs suffering from some form of fear or anxiety in the US, it is a significant problem.

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ANXIETY

Anxiety is anticipation of perceived danger that results in a physiological reaction associated with fear. The autonomic nervous system reacts with the “fight-or-flight” response – a hormonal cascade that increases blood-pressure and sugar levels and primes the muscles for immediate action. The physiological changes that occur give the body enhanced strength and speed in anticipation of fighting or running.

However, in our living rooms it can lead to undesirable or even dangerous behaviour. Stressed dogs can eliminate, excessively vocalize, or display destructive behaviours, such as chewing, or shredding furniture and other possessions, bolting, excessively licking or biting themselves . Extreme stress can even cause seizures.

Anxiety can arise from a variety of sources. From one or more traumatic events, or from a genetic predisposition. Separation anxiety has been estimated to affect more than 13% of companion dogs. Fear of loud noises, such as thunderstorms, or fireworks is experienced by more than 17% of dogs.

MEDICINES

Various anti-anxiety drugs including sedatives, antidepressants, and beta blockers, can be prescribed by veterinarians to calm anxious pets. These are mainly for strictly controlled, short-term use and can produce some side effects.

PHEROMONES

Pheromones are a type of chemical communication triggering a social response in animals of the same species. They work via the vomeronasal organ, located between the nose and mouth. Certain pheromones-calming-, or appeasing pheromones – can help soothe stressed pets. Pet pheromone products mimic natural pet pheromones and come in various forms, including sprays, plug-in diffusers, wipes, and collars. They are helpful in calming pets in situations such as going to the vets or groomers, a boarding facility or while travelling, in general. Pheromone products are easy to find in your local pet store.

GENTLE PRESSURE

Gentle pressure on the body appears to have a calming effect on the nervous system, possibly by releasing endorphins.

NUTRITION

A traditional method of reducing anxiety is by carefully controlling the dog’s diet, prior to an expected stressful event to elevate levels of the neurotransmitter, serotonin, which plays an important role in well being.  This is for many owners and many situations, however, an impractical approach. Well-known anti-anxiety food supplements contain the active ingredient, Alpha-S1 Tryptic Casein, a peptide derived from milk protein, which impacts brain receptors to ease stress. Other amino acids that are helpful are L-theanine and L-tryptophan, a plant extract, or B-vitamines, which also modulate neurotransmitter activity to ease stress. Also, there are herbal anti-anxiety products currently available include Bach RESCUE Remedy Pet.

So, causes and symptoms of stress differ between pet species. Training can help, but a growing range of anti-anxiety products are also available. They are expanding with more research and a growing awareness of the importance of pet well being, as well as health.

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