Coping with Separation Anxiety in Pets

Coping with Separation Anxiety in Pets

October 12, 2018

Unless you’re lucky enough to work from home, your pets spend the majority of their day home alone. While you might think it’s awesome to be able to sit around at home all day, it’s fairly safe to say that your pet doesn’t think the same way if they’re left by themselves.

Your pets, especially dogs, can develop separation anxiety if they’re left home alone without their owner to play with. This post from your veterinarian in Saint Francisville, LA will cover everything you need to know about separation anxiety, and how you can help treat it!

Signs of separation anxiety

One of the hardest parts of diagnosing separation anxiety in pets is the fact that not all animals show the same symptoms. That being said, here are a few of the most common signs that your pet may be experiencing separation anxiety:

  • Destructive behavior: Coming home and finding that Fido has ripped up the couch, chewed on your shoes, scratched the walls or treated your floor as a bathroom is not a great way to start your evening. Unfortunately, your pets may act this way if they’re feeling separation anxiety.
  • Sleeping more: On the opposite end of the spectrum, you might notice that your pet sleeps a lot more than he used to. Just like with some depressed humans, pets may feel lethargic and sleepy all the time if they have separation anxiety.
  • Loss of interest: Your dog undoubtedly has a favorite ball or toy that he likes to play with for hours on end. All of that playing might even get on your nerves from time to time! If your dog suddenly loses interest in his toys, you may want to bring him to a vet to see if he has separation anxiety.

What can be done?

The good news is that separation anxiety isn’t some sort of incurable disease. There are some easy things you can do to pull your pet out of his funk:

  • Set a schedule: Your pets are creatures of habit who like to stick to a set schedule. They like doing all of their regular activities, like eating and walking, at the same time every day. If you can stick to that schedule, you’re much more likely to have a happy pet!
  • Exercise: Going for walks, playing fetch or engaging in any other physical activity will help keep your pet’s mind off the fact that you’re not around for most of the day. Additionally, if your pet is tired from morning exercise, he’s more likely to sleep throughout the day, rather than chew on your couch.
  • Hire a dog walker: If you can afford it, you should look into hiring someone to walk your dog once (or even twice) a day while you’re at work. Daily walks will give your dog some human interaction and help prevent any accidents inside your house.

If you’ve tried your hardest to do all of the things above and your pet still seems upset, you may want to bring him to a veterinarian in Saint Francisville, LA. At St. Francisville Animal Hospital, we may be able to diagnose and treat the disorder that’s keeping your pets from feeling their best.

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