Situational Anxiety

The summer holidays are here, which means schedule changes and exciting summertime activities! Visitors, summer vacations, and fireworks can be fun for us, but many dogs struggle with situational anxiety and can find these things scary.
While some dogs suffer with general anxiety year-round, situational anxiety occurs when a specific trigger causes fear. These triggers can be: Car rides, loud noises like fireworks or thunder, vet or grooming visits, new people in the home, etc. Pets can react to these by hiding, shaking, and cowering, or they can react defensively by barking and even biting.
Positive exposure to triggers can be helpful in preventing or reducing anxiety; however, it is not always possible. If your dog has reacted to a specific trigger in the past, it is important to identify and anticipate their reactions to prevent escalation.
Here are some ways we recommend to approach situational anxiety this summer.

Environment:

Providing a calming space in the home is a great way to help a pet feel safe. This space can be their kennel placed away from the communal space, or a bedroom that your visitors aren’t using. Keep stimulating noises and lights away from their safe space. Block windows and try playing soothing music to mute other sounds.
Consider using calming pheromones like Feliway for cats (https://littleurbanvetclinic.ourvet.com/pet/products/1490?product=3421) or Thunderease (prev. Adaptil) (https://littleurbanvetclinic.ourvet.com/pet/products/5545?product=5974) for dogs to create a soothing atmosphere.

Supplements:

While they won’t fully sedate or remove anxiety. Calming supplements can help take the edge off and are a good option for pets that are frequently exposed to their triggers.
Remember that supplements work best when they are given daily. While some pets respond as needed, most animals will see the best results when they have their supplements every day.

Prescription medications:

Sedating medications are great resources for anxious pets. There are several different options we can explore, including Trazodone and Gabapentin, that benefit most anxious pets when given 1-2 hours before the stressful event.
Remember pet doses are different from human doses! Every pet responds differently, so please touch base with us before giving any prescription medications to your pet.
Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any specific questions about your pets anxiety!

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