Stress in Animals

We often remain oblivious to the idea that pets, animals and birds also suffer from stress. Pets are extremely sensitive to their surroundings and are known to develop emotional bonding with their owners as well as fellow pets. 'Change' triggers stress in animals the same way it triggers stress in humans. Health conditions also affect the pets' psychological state.

Conditions such as illnesses, travel, breeding, separation from owner, shifting, addition or loss of a family member or another household pet, can cause stress in animals. In such cases, pets become extremely bored or show symptoms of severe stress such as fear, anxiety and restlessness.

A bored pet dog would slowly chew, destroy things or move objects in and around the household, eat or drink excessively, and sometimes, even create inflammation conditions like "lick granuloma" (usually an ulcerated area on a dog's wrist or ankle caused by the dog's own incessant licking ). They also tend to bark a lot when they are bored. Stressed out dogs show signs of shaking, trembling, restlessness and destructiveness. It is just as important to treat boredom, as it is to treat anxiety.

Tips to Keep Your Pets in Good Humor

Provide exercise to your pet dog several times a day.

Don't take the same route everyday when you take your dog for a walk.

Don't use corrective measures such as yelling and hitting since they only increase anxiety in pets.

Don't let the pet 'lounge' around.
Be sure to provide enough stimuli to your pets when you are present at home. Play with them and pet them.

Contrary to popular belief, getting another pet, as company for a lonely pet, does not necessarily alleviate boredom.
If only your bored pet has a strong personality, you may find that it teaches its companion how to break the boredom.

If your dog has developed lick granulomas, seek medical a well as behavioral attention to break that habit.

If your dog is exhibiting behavior that is indicative of separation anxiety, seek help from a qualified professional as soon as possible, because not all dogs respond to a standard treatment.

Behavior therapy in conjunction with holistic medication can alleviate stress in pets.