Managing your pets’ heightened anxiety

Dr Guy Fyvie, veterinary advisor at Hill’s Pet Nutrition, said dogs and cats’ hearing are far sharper and much more sensitive than ours, so, even if there is a loud noise quite a fair distance from your home, like thunder, it could still trigger an anxious reaction.

To identify whether your pet is anxious and nervous, Fyvie recommended that pet parents take the Hill’s pet stress test here as well as look out for the following signs in your dog or cat’s behaviour:

• Hiding away

• Bowel and bladder accidents (potentially with change in faecal consistency)

• Excessive panting

• Inability to settle down

• Shaking

• Yawning

• Excessive licking or chewing

• Attempting to escape their environment

• Barking and howling more excessively than usual

“There are also a few changes around the home that pet parents can make to help their pets during this stressful time,” said Fyvie.

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He recommended the following:

• Keep familiar noises or sounds playing in the house such as the TV and some background music. The more it seems like an everyday, normal situation, the better

• Create a comfortable, smaller space in the house for your dog or cat to retreat to when they’re feeling anxious. As a distraction from any loud noises, provide them with a tasty chew toy

• Keep outside noises and bright lights (like fireworks) at bay by closing the windows, doors and curtains at home

• For outdoor cats who come and go as they please, rather place a litter tray inside and close the doors and the cat flap, so they can’t go outside that evening

• If you can’t stay at home with your pets, have someone else they trust there to calm and reassure them – the less changes during this time the better

• It is always best to introduce the pet sitter to the pets before the pet parents leave. If possible, the pet parents should introduce the pets to the pet sitter, so that the pets can become familiar with the sitter

• If you’re dropping your pet off at a kennel or cattery for the holidays, send them with their bed, favourite chew toy and blankie to bring them comfort. This way, the change of environment won’t be as dramatic and stressful for them

• Ask your veterinarian about specially formulated foods, which help alleviate stress, such as *Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d Stress for dogs and *Hill’s Prescription Diet c/d Stress for cats. For severe cases, they may recommend certain medications.

Information: Hill’s Pet Nutrition.

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