Summertime Adventures and...Anxiety?
Some tips and tricks for managing your pet’s anxiety
Summertime is almost here, and guess what else? Road trips, adventures, and lots of outings with your furry friend! However, some pets don’t handle the excitement of exploring as well as others. Pet anxiety can be stressful for everyone, so I’ve laid out some helpful tips and information about managing and minimizing your pet’s stress for the summer season!
It’s usually easy to tell when your pet is anxious. Nobody knows a pet better than his loving owner! But sometimes, there are unusual signs of anxiety that can be caused by fear, aging, and separation. Your dog might be anxious if he’s showing signs of aggression, depression, restlessness, and repetitive and compulsive behaviors. Some other more obvious signs include urinating or defecating in the house, panting, exhibiting destructive behavior, constantly barking, and pacing.
On the other hand, horses show a fairly different set of symptoms when it comes to anxiety. Also, there are several different causes of anxiety in horses , such as performance, stressful situations, boredom, change, and of course separation. Anxiety in your horse may be shown by weaving and stall walking, shaking or trembling, eye rolling, backing into a corner, rearing, and spooking or bolting.
Okay, so you’ve taken your pet to the vet, and he’s definitely showing one or more of these symptoms. You don’t want to leave your buddy at home, but you also don’t want to stress them out anymore! Fortunately, there are several different options for managing pet anxiety, some of which take time, and others instantaneous.
A few easy, calming remedies for your dog include taking him for a walk, or engaging in mentally stimulating activities. Sometimes, it’s as easy as spending quality time with Fido to put him at ease. It’s also suggested that massage, acupuncture, and grooming can help calm down the pup. But what if you’re on a road trip and these aren’t options? Thankfully for all pet owners, natural remedies including herbs, supplements, oils, phytocannabinoids (CBD) and pheromones are available over the counter for stress relief. Lavender oil, melatonin, and valerian are all also commonly used to treat anxiety in dogs. Pheromones are available in diffusers, sprays, wipes, and collars for your dog. Just remember to consult your veterinarian for dosing instructions and information before administering any supplements.
Horses need a bit more attention and care when attending to their anxiety (get it, a “bit?”, so hilarious). Anyway, creating a structured routine, minimizing change, training, adjusting tack, additional exercise, groundwork, rewarding and correcting, riding with other horses, acclimating to new places, and supplements are all ways to mitigate your horse’s anxiety, depending on the situation. If you’re leaning more towards supplements , look for ones with magnesium and vitamin B1 for support of nervous system function. Phytocannabinoids (CBD) are also very effective in bringing calm and balance to your horse. For herbal remedies, look for supplements with valerian, chamomile, and vervain. And as I said before, always consult your veterinarian before administering any herbal remedies or supplements.
Phew, that was a lot of information! Hopefully, you’ll find this handy for your vacations and adventures this summer. Safe travels!
Kamie Roth
Author