As important as knowing that anxiety in pets is a problem, it is understanding what are the reasons that lead them to this situation. Even because, prevention will always be the best medicine, isn’t it?
In addition, it is our duty as a tutor to provide much more than food, bath, and a place to sleep. Apart from all these things, we must offer a lot of attention, affection and the right stimuli, after all, they have several needs in addition to these, just like us!
That’s exactly what we’re going to talk about in this post, and until the end, you’ll understand the signs, the causes (to avoid them) and the appropriate treatments, if you realize that your puppy is in this situation.
What are the causes of anxiety in pets?
Separation anxiety
This is a very common cause and makes us believe that they really are our best friends and pets see us as the best person in the world!
But even though we love to receive that love, they can become emotionally dependent, and that’s where the problem lies. When a dog or kitten is very connected with its tutor, when he is not around, he ends up feeling very sad.
In these cases, this longing that causes sadness is the cause of anxiety, as he feels abandoned and the picture can even turn into depression.
If you still don’t know how to identify your friend’s mental health, read:
Fear
Each person has a fear, others more, others less, but deep down, everyone is afraid of something. With pets, this is no different, and anxiety in pets has a lot to do with this fact.
Some are afraid of very loud noises, others of the dark, others of certain animals, children (that’s right), heights, places, anyway…
If they are always exposed to their fears, it causes an affliction, a phobia so great that they begin to anticipate it and experience it with symptoms of anxiety.
It’s like a human being afraid of flying, starting to sweat cold, having tremors and shortness of breath before a flight, for example.
Trauma
Unfortunately, this is a more regular occurrence than we realize. We all know that adopting a pet is a great deed that restores the dignity and well-being of animals, right?
However, especially in these cases, they can have a very traumatic history. Lack of food, hygiene, physical and emotional abuse, and unhealthy surroundings are among the biggest causes of trauma, and they all cause a lot of anxiety.
As much as they have passed, the marks usually last, and who should take care of it is the current tutor. Therefore, it is important to know their history before adopting them.
In addition to these situations, trauma can come in other ways, such as an accident, a very big scare, a fall, any episode that made them afraid.
lack of stimulus
Unlike the reason we just talked about, which are episodes that are beyond our control, this cause of anxiety in pets is largely our fault.
As much as you are doing this with no intention of harming him, of course, the lack of stimulation causes emotional and even physical problems (such as being overweight and joint pain) in the kitty.
- lack of playfulness;
- few walks;
These are the main mistakes, because the lack of energy expenditure, in animals that need to release their instincts, is very harmful.
Don’t have that much time? Is there little space for them to run?
No problem, on days when you can’t go for a walk, a tip is to enrich the environment with interactive toys and feeders, stimulating balls, and teethers. This already helps a lot!
TV x anxiety in pets
If you are one of those people who leave the television on to make up for the lack of company, know that the TV is nobody’s partner!
What pets see is just a bunch of disconnected images at the same time and at a very fast speed, which causes a certain discomfort.
Nothing replaces human presence, and although some things even help, in most cases, this is not the case with TV!
What are the symptoms of anxiety in pets?
Just as human beings have different personalities, so do animals, so each one can experience different symptoms of anxiety.
According to studies carried out in Finland, at the University of Helsinki, three out of 4 pets have one or more of the symptoms below:
- personality disorders;
- unusual aggressive behavior;
- mania for scratching objects;
- dog licking paw ;
- changes in appetite;
- hyperactivity;
- excessive vocalizations and cries;
- constantly chasing one’s tail;
- urinating outside the usual place
- self-mutilations.
Anxiety is not the only cause of the above behaviors, so it’s important to observe if they aren’t experiencing any of the reasons we quote here.
In addition, going to a veterinarian to perform the correct diagnosis is essential for the correct diagnosis and treatment. The sooner the better!
Veterinary specialties that treat these cases
Acupuncture
This is one of our specialties. Around here, we’ve already talked about veterinary acupuncture , and she’s also one of the treatments for anxiety in pets.
This method is not at all invasive, it is part of ancient medicine and helps to relieve many pains and illnesses, including emotional ones, such as anxiety and depression.
So don’t worry, we know needles can be scary, but these don’t cause pain or break the skin.
In fact, the technique is almost a therapy, as during the session there is a lot of relaxation in the body and mind of the pets. And that’s why it’s pretty common for them to get kinda sleepy after leaving the office.
After a few sessions, you can already see the improvement. Another positive point is that a drug-free treatment can be more interesting than just relying on drugs, and even healthier!
General practitioner – Veterinary hospital
Of course, veterinarians could not be lacking in specialties, as they are the ones who will:
- diagnose;
- indicate the appropriate treatment, from acupuncture to changing habits at home;
- and in specific cases, the use of medication.
The tutor’s role is to observe your 4-legged friend and identify that he needs professional help, but never play the role of the doctor itself, okay?