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MariaB -> RE: Caring for grieving or stressed pets? (3/12/2015 2:09:53 PM)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: DesFIP
I would call the vet and ask for suggestions. Especially if they're going to be with you for a long time, some anti anxiety medication might help them adapt easier and sooner.
It isn't like the owner is off on a cruise and you just have them temporarily. You are under a great deal of stress and can't not convey that to them. Plus you stressing over them will up their stress level and so on.
What I bolded in DesFips post is really important. I own a dog who suffers from anxiety disorder and I've tried everything under the sun to stop it getting worse. Unfortunately some breeds of dogs are more pr-disposed to getting this than others but they all have a trigger that can set it off. I have no experience with stress in cats but an abundance with my dog and so I'll share some of that with you.
Prozac does help but takes several weeks to start working and its hugely expensive.
'Thunder vests' for dogs are fantastic but shouldn't be worn all the time; just at times when you believe the dog is going to be more stressed than usual.
Attention is the key thing. Too much attention will actually make the dog more stressed. I know that sounds crazy and I found it really difficult not to give my wee fur baby lots of love and fuss but I abided by the dog psychologists rules and have to say, this really does help tremendously. When a dog is stressed it will study its carers every move. What your little dog will be fearing more than anything right now is loss and abandonment and that goes up tenfold every time you leave to go out or the other carer leaves to go out and every time you come back. When you leave its really important not to make a fuss of the dog just prior to leaving and more importantly, not to make a fuss of the dog when you arrive. The dog reads attention from you at these times as you being just as stressed as him/her and just confirms and escalates what it fears the most. The dog will quickly get to know the times you arrive and the times you leave and will start to feel more stress around these periods of the day. If the other carer is around, its a good idea if she can distract the dog with play time.
Don't interrupt alone time. Dogs that are fretting or anxious often need alone time unlike us humans who often just need a cuddle. He will come to you when he wants a cuddle and when he does want that cuddle time, that is when he's feeling his most relaxed.
Keep up the dogs routine apart from when you are about to leave. If you can, try and break the habits of what you do when your about to go out of the door, even if it means putting your shoes on outside. I didn't realize but my dog knew that I always combed my hair just before I left the house and so every time I combed my hair he started to feel stressed [8|] The other thing I always did was look him in the face, pat him and say, "I won't be long". I now leave without looking at him or saying a word and he's much happier.
I've waffled on and it may be that your little dog isn't anything like as stressed as my boy gets but the problem with stress is, it so easily and quickly escalates. When I was in hospital recently my dog fretted dreadfully; once Steve had brought him into the hospital garden and let him see I was okay, he became far more settled. I would say, the sooner this dog can see his owner the better.
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