Don't Leave Me Alone!

Are you seeing some of those heart-wrenching ads asking to support shelters/humane societies on TV lately? Close ups of emaciated dogs, tragic eyes peering through cages, scared kittens in corners of alley ways...all accompanied by sad music just designed to bring tears to your eyes (and open wallets for big donations I assume.) They get to me way more predictably than the same kinds of pleas for help for the starving children in Africa, homeless people, blah, blah, blah....Don't get me wrong, I support HUMAN charities, too, mostly through my church, but you have to draw the line somewhere, and those abandoned or lost, usually neglected if not abused animals really sucker me in. And that's OK.

Did you realize most animals surrendered to shelters are done so not due to lack of space, owners moving or health issues in the pet, but because of behavior reasons? Many of those behavior problems were likely preventable if they were dealt with early on, however a lot of owners might not know (or may be too embarrassed to ask) about help for the problems. Because surrender to a shelter could easily result in euthanasia due to overcrowding situations, behavior problems should literally be considered life and death issues.
One behavior situation I seem to be seeing more of is a condition known as separation anxiety. No pets like to be left alone when their owners leave for work or go out for an evening, but some become so agitated that it becomes a pathologic situation needing veterinary treatment. Signs of separation anxiety are:

-hypersalivation or excessive drooling, so much so that you may see pools of saliva around the house or in the crate and your pets may be dehydrated from the loss of fluids
-vocalization or barking, whining or howling, often in a single tone that doesn't change much in pitch, and can be so loud that the neighbors will complain
-elimination, voiding urine or feces in the house or crate, often in multiple areas since the pet is likely pacing anxiously if allowed free run of the house. The feces may be diarrhea or be slimy or even blood-tinged due to stress
-destructive behavior that is directed towards personal items such as clothing, pillows, furniture, books or at means of exit from the house such as door and window frames

Recognizing that these behaviors are done out of anxiety in the pet and not out of a sense of "anger" or "punishment" of the humans for leaving them behind is important in treating this condition. It isn't appropriate to get mad at your pet or punish them for the behaviors after the fact. They just won't "get it" and your anger will only make them fear you. We start with some basic behavior modification, reducing your pet's excitement associated with humans coming and going and adapting them to being alone. Try to make coming and going from the home a non-event. Don't pay attention to the pet for about 5 minutes after arriving home or until they are relaxed. This can be awfully hard-who doesn't love that excited, wiggling and barking greeting we get, so full of love? My husband sure doesn't greet me as excitedly as Verbal does!

Consider activities that trigger the anxiety reaction in your pet such as picking up the keys or putting on your jacket that you do right before you leave-try doing these numerous times during the day without leaving so they will no longer be associated just with you leaving. Try leaving a toy that delivers little bits of food over time as the pet works on it or peanut butter in a Kong toy-these are great distractions if the pet is food motivated. If the crate is considered a safe place for your pet, use it! Many pets settle right down when they don't have to "guard" the whole house, and you won't have to worry about messes or damage elsewhere. If your pet has had bad crate experiences, we may need to work on that. Sometimes just moving the crate to a new location works well.

There are supplements and medications which, along with behavior modification, are used to treat separation anxiety. Pheromones are chemicals secreted by animals to communicate between species. DAP for dogs and Feliway for cats have mixed results in calming animals in various situations and can be found in sprays, plug in diffusers and even collars.
Medications tend to work on serotonin, a neurotransmitter or chemical that sends information from one brain cell to another. Just like in humans, it is believed that serotonin is low in pets with anxiety disorders. There are many drugs available and one, Reconcile, is FDA approved for dogs with separation anxiety. Reconcile, (generic name fluoxetine) also known as Prozac in human medicine, may take 3 to 5 weeks to take full effect, but helps to improve your dog's receptivity to the training plan. It is not without its side-effects, however, so you and your vet will have to monitor your pet carefully while on it.

I really enjoy working with owners on behavior issues- they can literally be life saving consultations when plans all come together. Be sure to include your veterinarian in discussions about behavior issues that crop up in your pet's life as they can be just as important as limping or itching or any other health problem.

Peace,
DrReneigh