Anxiety and Your Pet
by Dr. Judy Morgan, DVM

As the summer draws to a close, many of us will be headed back to school or work and our pets will be left home alone after enjoying our company for much of the summer. This can be very stressful for your pet and cause unwanted behaviors to occur. Many pets will show anxiety over being left alone by howling, barking, chewing, urinating, defecating, or otherwise destroying their surroundings. Add on a thunderstorm or other loud noises, and some frightened pets have become so upset they have jumped through glass windows or chewed their way through metal crates trying to escape. So, other than sedating your pet with harmful drugs or chemicals, what options are available?

At our veterinary practice, we have many alternatives to drugs.  A dose or two of Rescue Remedy before separation will sometimes be enough to help your pet stay calm.  Rescue Remedy is a combination of five flower essences that have been proven to help during times of stress. Herbs can also be helpful. Passionflower, lemon balm, or catnip may help defuse the anxiety, as well as skullcap or valerian. Chamomile can be soothing, as well as preventing vomiting if the animal has an upset stomach from nervousness.

Other flower essence products, including Mellow Out, Easy Does It, Panic Attack, Devil Be Gone, and Independence can be used in the water or given orally prior to leaving the home. Each combination product is specific for the behavior the animal is showing. Indications for each are available at our office and on our website.

Homeopathics, which are treatments based on highly diluted natural remedies, are also an option. Products such as TFLN (thunderstorms, fireworks, and loud noises) can be helpful for pets that are nervous when loud trucks go by the home or are jittery with noises in general. Homeopet also makes Storm Stress, which works wonders for animals afraid of storms, thunder, and lightning.

Behavior modification is also important in helping your pet to adjust. If you are planning to keep your pet in a crate when you are away, make sure they are comfortable in their crate prior to the day you will be leaving them alone. Once a pet is happy being in the crate for 45 minutes, they are usually okay for longer periods of time. If you will be away for more than 5 to 6 hours, try to find some one that can come in and take your pet for a walk or let them out to play in the middle of the day. Pets get lonely and depressed, just like we do when left alone.

Dr. Judy Morgan has been operating the Clayton Veterinary Associates, located in Clayton, New Jersey, since 1993. She is a 1984 graduate of the University Of Illinois College Of Veterinary Medicine and more recently, the Chi Institute of Veterinary Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture.

She has been practicing Veterinary Orthopedic Manipulation, a form of veterinary chiropractic, on dogs, cats, and horses for over a decade.

Clayton Veterinary Associates practices a unique blend of traditional Western medicine with Eastern medicine to achieve a more natural and holistic method of treating their patients. Their ability to utilize both kinds of therapy offers clients the best of both worlds. 

To learn more about the practice in Clayton
Visit http://www.claytonvetnj.com
Email at: information@claytonvetnj.com
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