anxiety in dogs and cats
Wamiz, together with the Vetoquinol pharmaceutical laboratory and with the approval of a behaviorist, conducted a study on 4,765 French dog and/or cat owners to find out how stressed their animals were and to offer them a solution. .
Signs of anxiety in dogs and cats
Research reveals that 65% of dogs and 55% of cats show signs of frequent anxiety. Relatively high numbers that require a little more insight into the subject to try to appease our little fellows.
First, it’s important to learn to read your animal’s codes. You need to be able to distinguish simple isolated anxiety from repetitive stress.
The most common signs cited by owners during research are: barking/snarling, shaking, trying to run or hide, excessive attention seeking, and tail between legs.
Other signs, called calming signals, can also help you understand that your dog is stressed. So, a dog that yawns, especially when it is not tired or wakes up from a good sleep, will try to calm down or relax itself in the face of an uncomfortable situation.
It is not always easy to recognize the signs of stress in cats. Cats are very sensitive and the slightest change in their habits can change their behavior.
During the Wamiz survey, in 70% of cases, the cat shows stress by trying to run and hide. Other signs noted were: meowing or excessive licking, attentiveness, increased alertness, and urine marking.
Other signals such as aggression or self-harm are also present. Any change in your cat’s behavior can be a clue.
You then need to be able to relate these signals to causes or conditions that affect your animal’s well-being.
Anxiogenic situations for your pet
In a study by Wamiz and Vetoquinol, loneliness, scary sounds or stormy weather affected the majority of dogs presenting with anxiety.
In 93% of cases, the respondents reported that their dogs had difficulty coping with the absence of their owner and, therefore, loneliness. This usually manifests itself as barking, howling or destruction.
56% of dogs show signs of a change in emotional state when they encounter a noise that scares them. This is an a priori non-recurring condition, but nevertheless it is important to understand it and try to reduce its sensitivity to help your animal feel better in its paws!
One of every two dogs gets nervous during thunderstorms, firecrackers or fireworks. After that, he will try to hide, his breathing may become faster, and he may have extreme acne. Calming your dog in the face of a storm is not an easy task, as his temper is high. Before considering a medicinal solution, there are ways to try to calm your faithful companion down.
As a result of the study, three situations emerged in cats: 68% of respondents hear sounds that scare them, loneliness (absence) or separation from their owners (67%) and when a visitor comes to the house (60%). ).
Other situations are considered stressful for many pets: strangers on the street or coming to the house, slightly disobedient children, visiting the vet, going on vacation, transport (car, train, etc.), the fact that analogs or certain objects pass by. .
Entrepreneurs are also dissatisfied
67% of owners feel helpless when faced with their distressed pet. One of the two owners even experiences guilt, sadness and anxiety.
These owners who love their animals even try to adapt to them so as not to increase their anxiety. 70% of pet owners who experience stress say that it affects their daily activities (vacation, recreation, etc.).
There are several solutions so that humans and animals can live in peace and harmony.
Solutions to calm stressed dogs and cats
More than 1 in 2 owners who have encountered these destabilizing situations have tried one or more solutions for their animal. 50% of owners consulted a veterinarian about it.
The most commonly tested solutions in dogs are: anti-stress toys, Bach flowers, dog behaviorists, phytotherapy and complementary foods
The most commonly tested solutions in cats are: pheromones, anti-stress sprays with essential oils, anti-stress toys, complementary foods, and environmental modification.
However, 60% of respondents say they are not really satisfied with the solutions they have tried. In this case, it is advisable to talk to your veterinarian about it.
