After months at home, people are going back out. Whether its work, school, or recreation, folks are no longer hanging out in their houses and being constant companions with their pets. As such, we are seeing a lot of anxiety-related behavior in our pets.
The more we understand about mental health, the more we are seeing that there are medical reasons behind many of the disorders that had originally been seen simply behavioral issues. Imbalances in neurochemical compounds are really not much different than hormone imbalances that lead to diseases like diabetes and hypothyroidism. Just like those diseases, we can now offer medical solutions for neurologic disorders int the form of lifestyle changes, nutritional support, or medications. In the case of anxiety, there is typically a deficiency in serotonin, the so-called “feel-good” neurotransmitter that gets boosted when we eat chocolate. Just don’t give chocolate to your dogs… very poisonous to them.
Anxiety in pets can be exhibited in many ways. In cats, the most common is inappropriate elimination. My own cat will act normally all the time but if I am not on top of her normal routine, she will invariably pee outside of her box. Dogs can be all over the spectrum. They can chronically bark, self-mutilate, destroy furniture, and, in severe separation anxiety, jump out windows on the second story and above.
There is a definite genetic component to anxiety. In humans, it is passed on within families. In animals, it even more evident in that certain breeds have been identified as having extreme anxiety disorders. These hereditary forms tend to be severe and usually require medication. If it is just an occasional issue brought on by uncommon triggers, we can use short-acting medications like trazodone or Valium-derivatives. However, for animals that show chronic signs such as fear of the outdoors or panic when the owner leaves, we use something long-term. My favorite for this is still fluoxetine (Prozac) that boost serotonin. Since becoming generic, it is extremely cheap and works just as well as the newer, more-expensive options. While it has the drawback of taking up to 6 weeks to start working well, it is a godsend for our poor patients who can be beside themselves under certain conditions.
The anxiety we are seeing as lockdowns end is called acquired anxiety. Believe it or not, a pet’s humans can be a like a drug to them. Much like relaxing with a good book or sitting by a fire on the beach can reset our emotions, the presence of a pet’s family can create a strong sense of security and calm for them. Just look at how most greet us when we come home. Our pets will get used to a certain pattern of ups and downs when they see us leave for work and come home. That also sets a certain pattern in their brain chemistry. Now imagine if that pattern changes to where you are around ALL THE TIME. If you try to revert back to your old schedules, some pets just aren’t going to be able to cope with not having that constant serotonin release from having you around. You will need to gradually reintroduce departures to your pet to get them used to this change. Your vet should be able to provide you with different techniques to do this.