Yes! Stress can also affect your pets

A well recognised conditition that effects humans as part of our society that we live in is stress related conditions.

This syndrome of problems can include;

• heart problems,
• skin problems,
• internal organ disfunction, as well as
• outward problems such as aggression or fear etc.

Your pet can also undergo the same problems caused by stress. The stress can be as simple as an animal moving into a new enviroment as happens when sometimes you move house.

Or, it can be as complex as nervous dysfunctions that occur with hormonal changes in the body or when the brain releases abnormal neurotransmitters.

It can be difficult for the owner to regocnise problems that are stress related.

The major signs that you will see with dogs involves different behaviour such as barking when no one is there, or becoming agressive when normally the your dog is passive and very friendly.

Eating habits can also change – with your pet not eating well and seems to be just nibbling at their food. The dog may become scared of loud noises such as thunder or a car starting up etc.

Some dogs will hide under the house or in strange dark places. They can become disobedient or may become very affectionate to the stage of wanting to be with their owner at all times – which can lead to constant barking when the owner goes out.

In cats the signs usually involve over grooming to the stage where the cat will actually remove hair and skin from its body from licking excessivly.

Another common sign is that your cat will start to urinate inside the house – usually spraying up the walls and on furniture. Also, your cat can become very aggressive while others may become very passive and hide in dark areas around the house.

The lovely thing is that help is at hand for these animals – it is important that your pet be examined by your vet to make sure that there is no other problem with the animal, and then the vet has to access which anti anxiety medication will help your effected pet.

The most common medication we use is called Clomicalm and if used properly for the appropriate length of time then we see some dramatic responses. There are other forms of medication that the vet can use – a lot will depend on the cause and effect of the nervous dysfunction.

With the proper medication your pet can once again become a ‘good’ pet and mix in our society with confidence and enjoyment

If you feel your pet may be suffering from anxiety then please contact us to discuss your options